WEBVTT Kind: captions; Language: en 00:00:01.001 --> 00:00:06.000 Now celebrating our 23rd year of service to the worldwide amateur radio 00:00:06.000 --> 00:00:10.001 community, we are This Week in Amateur Radio, your all amateur radio and 00:00:10.001 --> 00:00:13.000 technology news magazine and bulletin service of the air. 00:00:14.000 --> 00:00:19.000 This is edition number 1204 with a release and air date of Saturday, 00:00:19.001 --> 00:00:21.000 March 26, 2022. 00:00:21.001 --> 00:00:24.001 Please take the program to your air following the Q-Tone. 00:00:31.001 --> 00:00:36.001 Welcome to This Week in Amateur Radio, your weekly amateur radio newscast. 00:00:37.000 --> 00:00:41.000 This Week in Amateur Radio is North America's premier amateur radio and 00:00:41.000 --> 00:00:43.001 technology news magazine and bulletin service of the air. 00:00:44.000 --> 00:00:49.001 Here are the stories making news as we come to air with edition number 1204. 00:00:50.001 --> 00:00:55.000 The other shoe has finally dropped as the FCC announces the date for the new 00:00:55.000 --> 00:00:59.000 amateur radio filing fees. We will have all the details. 00:00:59.000 --> 00:01:04.000 Russia and Belarus are suspended from membership in the CEPT. 00:01:04.001 --> 00:01:08.000 Denmark's Amateur Radio Society, the EDR, takes action 00:01:08.000 --> 00:01:09.001 against Russia and Belarus. 00:01:10.000 --> 00:01:15.000 Meanwhile, Russian astronauts arriving at the International Space Station arrive 00:01:15.000 --> 00:01:16.001 wearing the colors of the Ukraine. 00:01:17.001 --> 00:01:21.000 Shortwave radio is making a comeback during the Ukrainian war. 00:01:21.000 --> 00:01:26.000 Due to the Ukrainian conflict, Poland cancels the SPDX contest. 00:01:26.001 --> 00:01:31.000 In Russia, owning a shortwave radio is once again becoming a subversive activity. 00:01:31.001 --> 00:01:35.000 The largest amateur radio ham fest in Europe will welcome visitors 00:01:35.000 --> 00:01:36.001 from around the world this year. 00:01:37.000 --> 00:01:40.001 HAARP, the high frequency active rural research program, 00:01:41.000 --> 00:01:42.001 is back on the air this month. 00:01:43.000 --> 00:01:46.001 The state of Oregon has launched its first amateur radio satellite. 00:01:46.001 --> 00:01:52.000 And an amateur radio club in Kentucky is honoring the birthday of country western 00:01:52.000 --> 00:01:55.000 star Loretta Lynn with a special event station. 00:01:55.001 --> 00:02:00.001 We will tell you all about this and a lot more is all straight ahead in this 00:02:00.001 --> 00:02:03.001 edition of This Week in Amateur Radio. 00:02:04.000 --> 00:02:07.000 These headline stories will come to you in a moment along 00:02:07.000 --> 00:02:08.001 with this week's special features. 00:02:09.000 --> 00:02:13.000 We'll visit with Bruce Page, KK5DO, and get an update from AMSAT and what's new 00:02:13.000 --> 00:02:15.000 with all of those amateur satellites in orbit. 00:02:15.000 --> 00:02:21.000 Our technology reporter, Leo Laporte, W6TWT, will talk about Apple iOS 00:02:21.000 --> 00:02:24.001 vulnerabilities in a remote zero-click attack. 00:02:25.000 --> 00:02:29.000 Australia's own Anal Benchoff, BK6FLAB, will try and answer the 00:02:29.000 --> 00:02:31.001 question, why do we communicate? 00:02:32.000 --> 00:02:37.000 Our own amateur radio historian, Bill Continelli, W2XOY returns with another 00:02:37.000 --> 00:02:39.000 edition of the Ancient Amateur Archives. 00:02:39.000 --> 00:02:45.000 This week, Bill examines the CB craze of the late 70s and the effect it had on 00:02:45.000 --> 00:02:48.001 backlogging the FCC and amateur radio. 00:02:49.000 --> 00:02:55.000 And our tower climbing and antenna master, Greg Stoddard, KF9MP, presents part 00:02:55.000 --> 00:03:01.000 four of his six-part series explaining how to get your club meeting or Hamfest 00:03:01.000 --> 00:03:06.000 promoted on local broadcast radio by correctly composing and submitting 00:03:06.000 --> 00:03:07.001 a public service announcement. 00:03:07.001 --> 00:03:13.000 That's all straight ahead as North America's premier amateur radio and technology 00:03:13.000 --> 00:03:18.001 news magazine and bulletin service, this week in amateur radio, takes to the 00:03:18.001 --> 00:03:20.000 air right now. 00:03:21.000 --> 00:03:25.000 Reporting from our headquarters studio here in cloudy Albany, New York, I'm 00:03:25.000 --> 00:03:27.000 George W2XBS. 00:03:27.001 --> 00:03:30.001 And reporting from the newsroom in Half Moon, New York, I'm Terry 00:03:30.001 --> 00:03:32.000 Saunders, N1KIN. 00:03:32.000 --> 00:03:37.000 And reporting this week from the sleepy little town of Courtlandville, New York, 00:03:37.001 --> 00:03:41.000 I'm Chris Parene, KB2FAF. 00:03:41.001 --> 00:03:46.001 And reporting from our news bureau in Rochester, New York, along the southern 00:03:46.001 --> 00:03:52.000 shore of Lake Ontario, I'm Dave Wilson, WA2HOY. 00:03:52.000 --> 00:03:56.001 And reporting from our ham radio outpost here in the Cascale Mountains of upstate 00:03:56.001 --> 00:04:02.001 New York, where the maple sap continues to flow copiously and little yellow 00:04:02.001 --> 00:04:09.000 tulips are beginning to pop up through the mudflats, I'm Don Hulick, K2ATJ. 00:04:09.001 --> 00:04:13.001 And reporting from our train New York news bureau, where I'm happy to see this 00:04:13.001 --> 00:04:18.001 year a very healthy population of spring turkey, I'm Eric, KD2RJX. 00:04:18.001 --> 00:04:22.001 Leading off this week's news, and a lot of you have been waiting for this one. 00:04:23.000 --> 00:04:27.000 A public notice released by the Federal Communications Commission on March 23, 00:04:27.000 --> 00:04:33.000 2022, in MD docket number 20-270, announced that new application fees for 00:04:33.000 --> 00:04:37.000 wireless telecommunications bureau applications will become effective on 00:04:37.000 --> 00:04:38.001 April 19, 2022. 00:04:38.001 --> 00:04:43.000 The new fees, mandated by Congress, apply to applications for amateur radio 00:04:43.000 --> 00:04:48.000 licenses, including those associated with filing Form 605, the Amateur Operator 00:04:48.000 --> 00:04:50.000 Primary Station License e-application. 00:04:50.001 --> 00:04:56.001 Effective April 19, 2022, a $35 fee will apply to applications for a new amateur 00:04:56.001 --> 00:05:01.000 radio license, modification, including upgrade and sequential call sign change, 00:05:01.000 --> 00:05:03.000 renewal, and vanity call signs. 00:05:03.000 --> 00:05:08.001 Anticipating the implementation of the fee in 2022, the ARL Board of Directors at 00:05:08.001 --> 00:05:13.000 its July 2021 meeting approved the ARL Youth Licensing Grant Program. 00:05:14.000 --> 00:05:19.000 Under the program, ARL will cover a one-time $35 application fee for licensed 00:05:19.000 --> 00:05:23.000 candidates younger than 18 years old for tests administered under the auspices of 00:05:23.000 --> 00:05:25.001 the ARL Volunteer Examiner Coordinator. 00:05:25.001 --> 00:05:30.000 Qualified candidates also would pay a reduced exam session fee of $5 00:05:30.000 --> 00:05:31.001 to the ARLVEC. 00:05:32.001 --> 00:05:35.001 ARL is finalizing details for administering the program. 00:05:36.000 --> 00:05:39.001 ARL had filed comments in opposition to imposing a fee on 00:05:39.001 --> 00:05:41.001 amateur radio license applications. 00:05:42.000 --> 00:05:45.000 The FCC initially proposed a higher $50 fee. 00:05:45.000 --> 00:05:50.001 In a report and order released on December 29, 2020, the amount was reduced. 00:05:51.000 --> 00:05:56.000 The FCC agreeing with ARL and other commenters that his proposed $50 fee for 00:05:56.000 --> 00:05:59.001 certain amateur radio applications was too high to account for the minimal 00:05:59.001 --> 00:06:01.001 staff involvement in these applications. 00:06:02.000 --> 00:06:07.001 ARL Volunteer Examiner Coordinator Manager Maria Soma, AB1FM, explained that 00:06:07.001 --> 00:06:09.001 all fees are per application. 00:06:10.000 --> 00:06:13.000 There will be no fee for administrative updates, such as change 00:06:13.000 --> 00:06:14.001 of mailing or email address. 00:06:14.001 --> 00:06:19.000 The fees will be the responsibility of the applicant regardless of filing method 00:06:19.000 --> 00:06:23.001 and must be paid within 10 calendar days of FCC's receipt of the application. 00:06:24.000 --> 00:06:28.001 For applications filed by a VEC, the period does not begin until the application 00:06:28.001 --> 00:06:33.000 is received by the Commission, a ULS file number assigned, and an email sent by 00:06:33.000 --> 00:06:35.000 the FCC directly to the applicant. 00:06:35.000 --> 00:06:39.000 VEC's and Volunteer Examiner Teams will not collect the $35 00:06:39.000 --> 00:06:41.000 fee at license exam sessions. 00:06:41.001 --> 00:06:45.001 New and upgrade candidates at an exam session will continue to pay the $15 exam 00:06:45.001 --> 00:06:51.001 session fee to the ARLV team as usual and pay the new $35 application fee 00:06:51.001 --> 00:06:56.001 directly to the FCC by using the CORS FRN registration system or CORS login. 00:06:56.001 --> 00:07:01.001 When the FCC receives the examination information from the VEC, it will email a 00:07:01.001 --> 00:07:05.001 link with payment instructions to each successful candidate who then will have 10 00:07:05.001 --> 00:07:08.000 calendar days from the date of the email to pay. 00:07:08.001 --> 00:07:12.001 After the fee is paid and the FCC has processed an application, examinees will 00:07:12.001 --> 00:07:16.000 receive a second email from the FCC with a link to their official license 00:07:16.000 --> 00:07:17.001 or explanation of other action. 00:07:18.000 --> 00:07:19.001 The link will be good for 30 days. 00:07:20.001 --> 00:07:23.001 Soma also explained that applications that are processed and dismissed 00:07:23.001 --> 00:07:25.000 will not be entitled to a refund. 00:07:25.000 --> 00:07:29.000 This includes vanity call sign requests where the applicant does not 00:07:29.000 --> 00:07:30.001 receive the requested call sign. 00:07:31.000 --> 00:07:35.000 The FCC staff has suggested that applicants for vanity call signs should first 00:07:35.000 --> 00:07:39.000 ensure the call signs requested are available and eligible for their operator 00:07:39.000 --> 00:07:43.001 class and area, and then request as many call signs as the form allows to 00:07:43.001 --> 00:07:45.001 maximize their chances of receiving a call sign. 00:07:45.001 --> 00:07:50.000 Further information and instructions about the FCC application fee are available 00:07:50.000 --> 00:07:56.001 from the ARLVEC at www.aRL.org forward slash 00:07:56.001 --> 00:08:00.000 FCC dash application dash fee. 00:08:01.000 --> 00:08:04.001 Details for the ARL youth licensing grant program will be summarily 00:08:04.001 --> 00:08:06.001 posted there when it becomes available. 00:08:06.001 --> 00:08:11.000 You are listening to North America's premier news and information service for the 00:08:11.000 --> 00:08:16.000 amateur radio hobbyist. We are This Week in Amateur Radio. 00:08:36.001 --> 00:08:43.000 On March 17th, the European Conference of Postal and Telecommunications, better 00:08:43.000 --> 00:08:49.001 known as the CEPT, announced the indefinite suspension of Belarus and the Russian 00:08:49.001 --> 00:08:55.000 Federation in a sweeping action that has an impact on amateur radio operators. 00:08:56.000 --> 00:09:02.000 Steve Richards, G4HPE, has more, and this report filed through the Southgate News 00:09:02.000 --> 00:09:04.000 Service in the UK. 00:09:04.001 --> 00:09:10.001 The CEPT was formed in 1959 to coordinate European state communications and 00:09:10.001 --> 00:09:15.001 postal services. Part of its work includes harmonizing the standard of amateur 00:09:15.001 --> 00:09:18.001 radio examinations and licenses within Europe. 00:09:19.000 --> 00:09:24.001 There are 400,000 radio amateurs located in CEPT countries, including 00:09:24.001 --> 00:09:26.001 Ukraine, Russia and Belarus. 00:09:26.001 --> 00:09:31.001 The CEPT announcement said that based on a request from a number of CEPT members, 00:09:32.000 --> 00:09:37.000 the CEPT presidency carried out a written procedure in accordance with the CEPT 00:09:37.000 --> 00:09:42.001 arrangement on the proposal to suspend indefinitely and with immediate effect the 00:09:42.001 --> 00:09:45.000 memberships of the Russian Federation and Belarus. 00:09:45.000 --> 00:09:50.001 Thirty-four responses were received to the CEPT assembly letter in support of the 00:09:50.001 --> 00:09:55.001 proposal and one abstention. Based on this, the CEPT assembly has therefore 00:09:55.001 --> 00:09:59.000 decided to suspend indefinitely the memberships of the 00:09:59.000 --> 00:10:00.001 Russian Federation and Belarus. 00:10:01.001 --> 00:10:06.000 The suspension of the said CEPT members took effect as from midnight Central 00:10:06.000 --> 00:10:09.000 European time on the 18th of March 2022. 00:10:10.000 --> 00:10:15.001 Any future readmission to the CEPT would follow the usual rules established in 00:10:15.001 --> 00:10:20.001 the CEPT arrangement, notably the need for a two-thirds majority of members of 00:10:20.001 --> 00:10:23.000 the CEPT to endorse such a decision. 00:10:23.001 --> 00:10:28.001 The CEPT presidency requested the office to take all necessary measures in order 00:10:28.001 --> 00:10:33.000 to set in place these decisions. And there's more in the news section at 00:10:33.000 --> 00:10:35.000 CEPT.org. 00:10:35.000 --> 00:10:40.000 And in Poland, there has been an announcement from the SPDX Contest Committee, 00:10:40.001 --> 00:10:44.001 who said that after careful consideration, together with the Polish Amateur Radio 00:10:44.001 --> 00:10:51.000 Union, the PZK, and the SPDX Club, they've decided to cancel the 2022 00:10:51.000 --> 00:10:53.000 SPDX Contest. 00:10:53.000 --> 00:10:58.000 Since the start of the war in Ukraine, Poland has accepted nearly two million 00:10:58.000 --> 00:11:01.000 refugees to date, as a direct result of Russian 00:11:01.000 --> 00:11:03.000 aggression towards their neighbouring country. 00:11:03.001 --> 00:11:07.001 This is an unprecedented event in Europe and has resulted in the greatest 00:11:07.001 --> 00:11:10.001 migration crisis in Europe since World War II. 00:11:11.000 --> 00:11:15.000 Polish people are deeply engaged in all forms of humanitarian assistance. 00:11:15.000 --> 00:11:20.001 Polish radio amateurs are giving shelter to Ukrainian refugees in their homes and 00:11:20.001 --> 00:11:23.001 offering their help and services in every way possible. 00:11:24.001 --> 00:11:29.000 Under these extraordinary circumstances, the SPDX Contest Committee felt it was 00:11:29.000 --> 00:11:32.001 most appropriate to cancel the SPDX Contest this year. 00:11:33.000 --> 00:11:39.000 There's more at SPDXContest.pzk.org.pl. 00:11:39.001 --> 00:11:44.000 An agreement with the CEPT conference grants amateur radio privileges to 00:11:44.000 --> 00:11:49.001 qualifying hams travelling between signatory countries without the need to obtain 00:11:49.001 --> 00:11:51.000 additional permits or licenses. 00:11:52.000 --> 00:11:58.000 The CEPT was formed to foster the cooperation among its member nations with 00:11:58.000 --> 00:12:01.000 regard to postal and electronic communications. 00:12:01.000 --> 00:12:07.001 The Russian Federation joined CEPT in 1994. Belarus became a 00:12:07.001 --> 00:12:09.000 member in 2003. 00:12:10.000 --> 00:12:16.000 The CEPT assembly also decided that any future readmission to the CEPT would 00:12:16.000 --> 00:12:22.001 follow the usual rules established in the CEPT agreement, notably the need for 00:12:22.001 --> 00:12:28.001 a two-thirds majority of members of the CEPT to endorse such a decision. 00:12:29.001 --> 00:12:35.000 Denmark's national amateur radio society, the EDR, has joined others in banning 00:12:35.000 --> 00:12:40.001 radio amateurs in Russia and Belarus from participating in any EDF contest 00:12:40.001 --> 00:12:42.001 or ARDF event. 00:12:43.000 --> 00:12:49.000 A translation of the statement issued by the EDF reads, The Russian Federation's 00:12:49.000 --> 00:12:55.000 invasion of Ukraine on February 24th and the events that resulted from it have 00:12:55.000 --> 00:12:59.001 given rise to many thoughts also among radio amateurs around the world. 00:13:00.000 --> 00:13:01.001 How should we behave? 00:13:02.001 --> 00:13:07.000 Until this conflict, the amateur radio community has always tried to be 00:13:07.000 --> 00:13:11.001 apolitical and impartial in relation to conflicts around the world. 00:13:11.001 --> 00:13:17.000 It is clear that the Russian Federation and Belarus, with their military 00:13:17.000 --> 00:13:22.001 operation into a sovereign and democratic European Ukraine, have crossed a 00:13:22.001 --> 00:13:24.000 border for acceptable behavior. 00:13:25.000 --> 00:13:31.001 Therefore, like other European associations, the EDR cannot remain neutral. We 00:13:31.001 --> 00:13:34.001 must deal with the conflict without escalating it. 00:13:34.001 --> 00:13:40.001 The policy of the EDR is that we will follow the actions of the mainstream sports 00:13:40.001 --> 00:13:46.000 organizations with regard to all activities of a competitive nature such as 00:13:46.000 --> 00:13:51.000 contests and fox hunting organized by the Russian Federation and Belarus. 00:13:52.001 --> 00:13:58.000 Russian and Belarusian radio amateurs are therefore not currently eligible to 00:13:58.000 --> 00:14:02.000 participate in any event organized or sponsored by EDR. 00:14:03.001 --> 00:14:09.000 EDR's policy in commercial activities is that we will refrain from trade with the 00:14:09.000 --> 00:14:12.001 Russian Federation and Belarus until further notice. 00:14:13.001 --> 00:14:18.001 Since amateur radio is an individual hobby, and the individual radio amateur 00:14:18.001 --> 00:14:24.001 decides for himself how he wants to practice it, EDR will be neutral in relation 00:14:24.001 --> 00:14:27.001 to the attitude of individual EDR members. 00:14:28.000 --> 00:14:33.000 If some of our members want to participate in competition organized by Russian 00:14:33.000 --> 00:14:39.000 organizations or have contact with Russian radio amateurs, it is the individual 00:14:39.000 --> 00:14:40.001 member's sovereign choice. 00:14:41.001 --> 00:14:47.000 EDR members should also be aware of the situation of Ukrainian radio amateurs. 00:14:47.001 --> 00:14:53.000 They have been banned from broadcasting since February 24th in accordance with 00:14:53.000 --> 00:14:58.000 the exemption law passed by the Ukrainian parliament as a result of the invasion. 00:14:58.001 --> 00:15:04.000 In principle, any radio amateur currently broadcasting from Ukraine risks his 00:15:04.000 --> 00:15:09.000 life. If you are listening to a Ukrainian station, you should definitely 00:15:09.000 --> 00:15:10.001 not shout about it. 00:15:11.000 --> 00:15:16.001 Dissemination of call signals, locations and frequencies, whether on a tape or in 00:15:16.001 --> 00:15:19.000 a cluster, should be avoided in any case. 00:15:20.000 --> 00:15:25.001 In the current situation, the best thing we can do is listen. We should not try 00:15:25.001 --> 00:15:27.001 to call Ukrainian radio amateurs. 00:15:29.000 --> 00:15:34.001 The EDR's calendar will not include contests and other events organized by 00:15:34.001 --> 00:15:40.000 associations domiciled in the Russian Federation or Belarus as long as the 00:15:40.000 --> 00:15:41.001 current situation exists. 00:15:42.001 --> 00:15:48.001 For EDR competitions, so far all logs received from stations in the Russian 00:15:48.001 --> 00:15:52.000 Federation or Belarus will be treated as check logs. 00:15:53.001 --> 00:15:57.000 A US astronaut will now be returning to Earth from the International Space 00:15:57.000 --> 00:16:00.001 Station after fears his Russian lift home might not materialize. 00:16:00.001 --> 00:16:06.000 Despite terrestrial tensions dividing the nations, US astronaut Mark VandeHei, KG 00:16:06.000 --> 00:16:10.000 -5 GNP, is preparing to return to Earth from the International Space Station this 00:16:10.000 --> 00:16:13.001 month with two cosmonauts onboard a Russian Soyuz spacecraft. 00:16:14.000 --> 00:16:18.000 The scheduled landing in Kazakhstan on March 30th is being planned in cooperation 00:16:18.000 --> 00:16:20.000 with the Russian space agency Roscosmos. 00:16:21.000 --> 00:16:24.001 According to several news reports, the three crew members' return comes amid 00:16:24.001 --> 00:16:27.001 fiercely growing tensions between the two countries, tensions that have 00:16:27.001 --> 00:16:31.000 reportedly spilled over into the space program, particularly with the head of 00:16:31.000 --> 00:16:35.000 Russia's space agency, Dmitry Rogozin, being a longtime supporter of 00:16:35.000 --> 00:16:36.001 Russian president Vladimir Putin. 00:16:37.000 --> 00:16:41.000 However, despite the fact that SpaceX vehicles are now being used for travel to 00:16:41.000 --> 00:16:46.000 and from the ISS, NASA confirmed on Monday, March 14th, that plans continue to go 00:16:46.000 --> 00:16:48.000 forward for the three men to return to the Earth together. 00:16:48.001 --> 00:16:52.000 We are in communication with our Russian colleagues. There's no fuzz on that. 00:16:52.001 --> 00:16:56.001 Joel Montalbano, NASA's International Space Station program manager, said he 00:16:56.001 --> 00:16:59.001 admitted the astronauts were aware of what's going on in the world. 00:16:59.001 --> 00:17:04.000 But they still work as a team. Under international space law, astronauts from all 00:17:04.000 --> 00:17:08.001 nations must provide all possible help to other astronauts when needed, including 00:17:08.001 --> 00:17:10.001 emergency landing in a foreign country or at sea. 00:17:11.001 --> 00:17:15.001 All ISS activities have continued for 20 years, and nothing has changed in the 00:17:15.001 --> 00:17:18.001 last three weeks. Our control centers operate successfully, 00:17:19.000 --> 00:17:21.001 flawlessly, seamlessly, he said. 00:17:21.001 --> 00:17:25.001 The United States controls power and life support aboard the station, and Russia 00:17:25.001 --> 00:17:29.001 controls things such as its propulsion. Earlier this month on Russian state 00:17:29.001 --> 00:17:34.000 television, Mr. Rogozin announced Roscosmos would halt rocket sales to the U.S. 00:17:34.000 --> 00:17:35.001 in response to sanctions against Russia. 00:17:36.001 --> 00:17:40.000 Mr. VandeHei, 55, now holds a new United States record 00:17:40.000 --> 00:17:41.001 for the most time spent in space. 00:17:41.001 --> 00:17:47.001 You're listening to This Week in Amateur Radio, available worldwide as a podcast 00:17:47.001 --> 00:17:53.000 from our web at www.twir.net. 00:18:13.001 --> 00:18:18.000 BBC News reports that Russian cosmonauts have arrived at the International Space 00:18:18.000 --> 00:18:21.001 Station wearing Ukrainian colors in what may be a 00:18:21.001 --> 00:18:23.001 statement opposing the invasion. 00:18:24.000 --> 00:18:28.000 The three men were the first new arrivals since Russia attacked its eastern 00:18:28.000 --> 00:18:32.000 neighbor last month. They were warmly welcomed on board, hugging and greeting 00:18:32.000 --> 00:18:35.000 their fellow American, Russian and German crew members. 00:18:35.000 --> 00:18:39.001 The first arrivals since Russia's war began were shown wearing bright yellow 00:18:39.001 --> 00:18:44.000 suits with blue trimmings. They were welcomed warmly on board. Yellow is 00:18:44.000 --> 00:18:48.000 sometimes just yellow, said the Roscosmos news agency. 00:18:49.000 --> 00:18:54.001 The ISS is a joint project between Russia, America, Canada, Japan, and several 00:18:54.001 --> 00:19:00.000 European countries. It's led by a U.S. and Russian partnership, which has been 00:19:00.000 --> 00:19:02.001 continued for two decades despite fluctuating tensions. 00:19:03.001 --> 00:19:10.001 Russian cosmonauts Denis Matyevyev, Oleg Artemyev, and Sergei Korzhikov docked at 00:19:10.001 --> 00:19:14.001 the ISS after a three-hour flight, which blasted off from a Russian-owned 00:19:14.001 --> 00:19:16.000 facility in Kazakhstan. 00:19:17.001 --> 00:19:21.001 Congratulations on the successful docking, a voice from Russia's mission control 00:19:21.001 --> 00:19:26.000 said moments later. A few hours later, two sets of hatches were opened and the 00:19:26.000 --> 00:19:30.001 three smiling men floated into the space station one by one, wearing bright 00:19:30.001 --> 00:19:32.000 yellow spacesuits with blue accents. 00:19:32.001 --> 00:19:36.001 The standard-issue Russian uniform is plain blue, and at least one of the men was 00:19:36.001 --> 00:19:38.000 seen wearing this before takeoff. 00:19:38.000 --> 00:19:42.001 It became our turn to pick a color, Mr. Artemyev said, when he was asked about 00:19:42.001 --> 00:19:45.000 the suits in a live-stream press conference. 00:19:45.001 --> 00:19:49.000 We had accumulated a lot of yellow material, so we needed to use it up, he 00:19:49.000 --> 00:19:51.000 joked. That's why we all had to wear yellow. 00:19:52.000 --> 00:19:56.000 Since the invasion of Ukraine, people around the world have used the colors of 00:19:56.000 --> 00:20:01.001 its national flag to show solidarity and support, but Roscosmos's press service 00:20:01.001 --> 00:20:06.000 dismissed the reports as a funny invention by foreign bloggers and the media. 00:20:06.001 --> 00:20:10.000 The flight suits of the new crew were made in the colors of the emblem of the 00:20:10.000 --> 00:20:14.001 Balmain Moscow State Technical University, all of which three cosmonauts had 00:20:14.001 --> 00:20:19.001 graduated from, to see the Ukrainian flag everywhere, and in everything is crazy. 00:20:20.001 --> 00:20:25.000 The head of the Roscosmos, Dmitry Rogozin, is a strong supporter of the invasion, 00:20:25.001 --> 00:20:29.001 and he suggested the claims that the cosmonauts were wearing Ukrainian colors had 00:20:29.001 --> 00:20:31.001 come from Ukrainian nationalists. 00:20:32.000 --> 00:20:37.000 The moment was live-streamed by both NASA, the American Space Agency, and the 00:20:37.000 --> 00:20:38.001 Russian agency, Roscosmos. 00:20:40.000 --> 00:20:43.000 Shortwave radio is making a comeback during the Ukraine invasion. 00:20:43.001 --> 00:20:47.001 The New York Times carries an interesting article about shortwave radio, which 00:20:47.001 --> 00:20:51.001 reads, As Russia is trying to cut off the flow of information in Ukraine by 00:20:51.001 --> 00:20:55.001 attacking its communications infrastructure, British news outlet BBC is 00:20:55.001 --> 00:20:58.001 revisiting a broadcasting tactic popularized during World War 00:20:58.001 --> 00:21:00.001 II, shortwave radio. 00:21:00.001 --> 00:21:04.001 With most external news agencies thrown out of Russia and their websites blocked, 00:21:05.000 --> 00:21:07.000 international broadcasters are launching new 00:21:07.000 --> 00:21:08.001 shortwave services to get the news through. 00:21:09.001 --> 00:21:13.001 Shortwave radio has been a go-to vehicle to reach listeners in conflict zones for 00:21:13.001 --> 00:21:17.001 decades, used to deliver crackling dispatches to soldiers in the Persian Gulf 00:21:17.001 --> 00:21:21.001 War, send codes to spies in North Korea, and pontificate through the 00:21:21.001 --> 00:21:23.000 Iron Curtain during the Cold War. 00:21:23.001 --> 00:21:26.000 But more modern forms of radio, along with 00:21:26.000 --> 00:21:28.001 internet, eventually push shortwave out of favor. 00:21:28.001 --> 00:21:33.000 The BBC retired its shortwave transmissions in Europe 14 years ago. 00:21:33.001 --> 00:21:36.001 As an example, take a listen on 4625 kHz. 00:21:37.000 --> 00:21:41.000 This has, for many years, been the location on the dial for the buzzer, a Russian 00:21:41.000 --> 00:21:44.001 military transmitter whose nickname describes its monotonous on-off 00:21:44.001 --> 00:21:46.000 buzzing transmission perfectly. 00:21:47.000 --> 00:21:50.001 As the current Ukrainian situation has taken shape, it has become a minor 00:21:50.001 --> 00:21:54.000 battleground, and the buzzer now shares its frequency with a variety of other 00:21:54.000 --> 00:21:57.001 stations broadcasting music, spectrograms, and other radio 00:21:57.001 --> 00:21:59.000 junk intended to disrupt it. 00:21:59.000 --> 00:22:03.000 For the curious, this can be watched unfolding on a spectrogram, or through 00:22:03.000 --> 00:22:06.001 headphones by anyone within range who has an HF receiver, or for 00:22:06.001 --> 00:22:08.001 everyone else with a web SDR. 00:22:08.001 --> 00:22:13.001 Over the time monitoring it, hurt has been overlaying speech and music, varying 00:22:13.001 --> 00:22:18.000 from the Soviet and American anthems through dance music and K-pop, to 1960s 00:22:18.000 --> 00:22:22.001 British rock and of course, Boney M's Rasputin, with a few slightly macabre 00:22:22.001 --> 00:22:25.000 choices such as Final Countdown and an Air Raid Siren. 00:22:26.000 --> 00:22:30.000 Even intros from the Benny Hill Show, the A-Team, and Mission Impossible. So 00:22:30.000 --> 00:22:32.000 whoever's doing this has a wide taste. 00:22:32.001 --> 00:22:38.000 Alongside the music at about 4628 kHz, Scene has been a series of spectrogram 00:22:38.000 --> 00:22:43.000 messages scrolling past in Ukrainian, Russian, and English, ranging from stop-war 00:22:43.000 --> 00:22:45.001 to lewd suggestions about the Russian president. 00:22:46.000 --> 00:22:49.001 It's fair to say that none of these transmissions have obscured the buzzer, but 00:22:49.001 --> 00:22:52.001 they have had the effect of significantly increasing the noise on the channel. 00:22:53.000 --> 00:22:58.000 Writing on hackaday.com, Jenny List said that an abiding memory for a teen 00:22:58.000 --> 00:23:04.000 fascinated by electronics and radio in the 1970s and 80s was the proliferation of 00:23:04.000 --> 00:23:06.001 propaganda stations that covered the shortwave spectrum. 00:23:07.001 --> 00:23:12.001 Some of them were slightly surreal, such as Albania's Radio Tirana, which would 00:23:12.001 --> 00:23:17.000 proudly inform 1980s Western Europe that every village in their country 00:23:17.000 --> 00:23:18.001 now possessed a telephone. 00:23:18.001 --> 00:23:24.000 But most stations were the more mainstream ideological gladiating of the Voice of 00:23:24.000 --> 00:23:26.000 America and Radio Moscow. 00:23:26.001 --> 00:23:31.001 It's a long gone era as the Cold War is a distant memory, and citizens east and 00:23:31.001 --> 00:23:34.000 west now get their info from the internet. 00:23:34.001 --> 00:23:38.001 But perhaps there's an echo of those times following the invasion of Ukraine. 00:23:39.001 --> 00:23:44.000 With most external news agencies thrown out of Russia and their websites blocked, 00:23:44.001 --> 00:23:47.000 international broadcasters are launching new shortwave 00:23:47.000 --> 00:23:49.000 services to get the news through. 00:23:50.000 --> 00:23:55.000 Owning a shortwave radio in Russia may once again become a subversive activity. 00:23:55.001 --> 00:23:58.001 There was a time when everyone had a radio, and radio 00:23:58.001 --> 00:24:00.000 listening was a universal occupation. 00:24:01.000 --> 00:24:06.001 From the 1930s, families clustered round an ornate family radio, the teenagers of 00:24:06.001 --> 00:24:12.000 the 1960s and 70s using their portables, it's a defining 20th century image. 00:24:12.000 --> 00:24:17.000 Though many of us still listen to radio here in 2022, the chances are that we no 00:24:17.000 --> 00:24:21.000 longer do so over AM, and certainly not over shortwave. 00:24:22.000 --> 00:24:27.000 We can get instant access to almost any content available online, so it's by no 00:24:27.000 --> 00:24:29.000 means certain people will even have a radio. 00:24:30.000 --> 00:24:33.001 If those shortwave transmissions are starting again, how can their 00:24:33.001 --> 00:24:35.000 intended audience pick them up? 00:24:35.001 --> 00:24:40.000 Perhaps it's time to look at shortwave radios with a 2022 slant. 00:24:40.000 --> 00:24:45.000 If you lack a shortwave radio, and a dig around your family's junk hasn't turned 00:24:45.000 --> 00:24:48.000 up a relic from decades past, then the simplest way to get 00:24:48.000 --> 00:24:50.000 one is of course to buy one. 00:24:50.000 --> 00:24:54.000 But there's a problem. International events are moving really fast, and there 00:24:54.000 --> 00:24:58.000 might not be the luxury of waiting three weeks for delivery, or even for that 00:24:58.000 --> 00:25:02.000 matter of being able to order one at all if you're located in a war zone. 00:25:02.000 --> 00:25:07.001 How can you make one? Yet again, there's an extremely simple option in the 00:25:07.001 --> 00:25:10.000 Silicon Labs series of one-chip radios. 00:25:10.001 --> 00:25:15.000 These provide a high-performance shortwave receiver with a minimum of external 00:25:15.000 --> 00:25:18.000 parts, and really are a miracle of integration. 00:25:18.001 --> 00:25:21.001 But yet again, in a war zone, and in the middle of a chip shortage, 00:25:22.000 --> 00:25:23.001 they just might not be an option. 00:25:24.000 --> 00:25:28.000 So how could you make a shortwave radio receiver using what parts you might have 00:25:28.000 --> 00:25:30.001 at hand from available consumer electronics? 00:25:30.001 --> 00:25:35.000 The best way to start is to look at the things you might already have. Such 00:25:35.000 --> 00:25:40.000 electronic flotsam and jetsam as battery-powered AM radios, car radios, or even 00:25:40.000 --> 00:25:42.001 $10 RTL SDR sticks. 00:25:43.000 --> 00:25:47.001 All of these can be modified or converted to receive the shortwave broadcast 00:25:47.001 --> 00:25:50.000 bands, often with readily available parts. 00:25:51.000 --> 00:25:54.001 Probably the simplest method possible might be to directly modify 00:25:54.001 --> 00:25:56.001 an existing AM radio. 00:25:56.001 --> 00:26:02.001 Jenny credits Phil, Mike Six India Papa X-ray, at Indestructibles.com, who 00:26:02.001 --> 00:26:04.000 describes a method to do this. 00:26:04.001 --> 00:26:08.001 It involves changing the resonant frequency of the ferrite rod antenna coil in 00:26:08.001 --> 00:26:12.001 the radio, and relying on a harmonic of the local oscillator rather than the 00:26:12.001 --> 00:26:14.000 fundamental to do the mixing. 00:26:14.001 --> 00:26:18.000 It doesn't necessarily cover all the broadcast bands, but it might do at a pinch. 00:26:18.000 --> 00:26:24.001 And if you want to resolve single sideband on an AM-only radio, get a second AM 00:26:24.001 --> 00:26:27.000 radio and locate it close to the first. 00:26:27.000 --> 00:26:31.001 Try tuning the second radio, and often the oscillator it contains will act as a 00:26:31.001 --> 00:26:36.000 beat frequency oscillator, which will allow single sideband signals in the main 00:26:36.000 --> 00:26:38.000 receiver to be resolved. 00:26:38.001 --> 00:26:42.000 Read the full article, which has many suggestions and is full of photos, 00:26:42.001 --> 00:26:44.000 at hackaday.com. 00:26:44.001 --> 00:26:50.001 With the recent relaxation of COVID-19 regulations, the Deutsche Amitya Radio 00:26:50.001 --> 00:26:56.001 Club and Mass Friedrichshafen, partners of Ham Radio 2022 exhibition in Germany, 00:26:57.000 --> 00:27:03.000 are optimistically looking forward toward holding the 45th Ham Radio Fest, from 00:27:03.000 --> 00:27:09.000 June 24th through to 26th in Friedrichshafen, subject to the final official 00:27:09.000 --> 00:27:11.000 approval by the local authorities. 00:27:12.000 --> 00:27:16.000 Appropriate hygienic and distancing measures will be in place for the 00:27:16.000 --> 00:27:17.001 safety of all visitors. 00:27:18.001 --> 00:27:23.000 This will have implications on the design of the stands, the opening ceremony, 00:27:23.001 --> 00:27:26.001 the presentation rooms, and the flea market area. 00:27:27.001 --> 00:27:32.001 One of the largest amateur radio conventions in the world, alongside Dayton Ham 00:27:32.001 --> 00:27:38.000 convention in the US, and the Japan Amateur Radio League Ham Fair, the Ham Radio 00:27:38.000 --> 00:27:43.001 Fest attracts exhibitors and visitors from more than 52 countries to Germany. 00:27:45.000 --> 00:27:49.001 AWRL, the National Association of Amateur Radio, will be among the participating 00:27:49.001 --> 00:27:55.000 international amateur radio union member societies exhibiting at the convention. 00:27:56.000 --> 00:28:00.000 Ham Radio Fest organizers say they are looking forward to seeing you 00:28:00.000 --> 00:28:01.001 and Friedrichshafen. 00:28:01.001 --> 00:28:07.000 We pause for stations along the network to identify. We are This Week in Amateur 00:28:07.000 --> 00:28:13.001 Radio, available as a direct download on our website at www.twir.net. 00:28:35.001 --> 00:28:40.000 And now with the latest technology news and commentary from Petaluma, California, 00:28:40.001 --> 00:28:44.000 This Week in Amateur Radio is proud to present Leo Laporte. 00:28:44.001 --> 00:28:48.000 I'm the tech guy. I'm in my lab coat with my buns and burners, my 00:28:48.000 --> 00:28:49.001 protective eyewear, my face mask. 00:28:51.000 --> 00:28:56.001 And here I am, sheltering in place in my lab, tech guy labs. We don't know why 00:28:56.001 --> 00:28:58.000 they're plural. Could be just tech guy 00:28:58.000 --> 00:29:00.000 lab. Why are there two of them? I don't know. 00:29:01.001 --> 00:29:07.000 But that's what it is. Maybe it's my doppelganger in the other lab. That's 00:29:07.000 --> 00:29:08.001 probably what it is. 00:29:10.000 --> 00:29:14.001 I, you know, on, I think it was Thursday, watching a little TV as one does, 00:29:15.000 --> 00:29:19.000 nothing much to do late at night, except look at the moon or look at the 00:29:19.000 --> 00:29:21.000 screen glowing in your living room. 00:29:21.000 --> 00:29:27.001 So I was doing the ladder and then my phone went, er, stop working, 00:29:28.000 --> 00:29:34.000 rebooted. So the little white apple on the screen. So what the what the heck? 00:29:35.000 --> 00:29:39.000 It was the second time that day it had happened. Now I know why. Now I know why. 00:29:39.000 --> 00:29:44.000 Oh, some wag sent me a text message which crashed my phone. Yes, it's happening 00:29:44.000 --> 00:29:46.001 again. This is not the first time. 00:29:47.001 --> 00:29:53.000 It's the same software that's causing the problem. It's what we call a rendering 00:29:53.000 --> 00:29:58.001 engine. It's the thing that draws the pictures in the text on the screen. 00:30:00.000 --> 00:30:05.001 And it is what we call an interpreter. It gets information, interprets it and 00:30:05.001 --> 00:30:10.000 puts it on the screen. The problem with interpreters is if you're not careful, 00:30:10.000 --> 00:30:14.000 they can be sent something that they go bonkers with. 00:30:14.000 --> 00:30:19.000 And as every good hacker knows, yes, I know you know this because you're a good 00:30:19.000 --> 00:30:23.001 hacker. Every good hacker knows that if you can get a computer to go bonkers, 00:30:24.001 --> 00:30:30.000 you're one step closer to getting it to take over it, to getting in its guts and 00:30:30.000 --> 00:30:32.001 saying I can do what I will with bike this little machine. 00:30:34.000 --> 00:30:38.001 Crashes are usually a prelude to a hack. As soon as they figure out how to crash 00:30:38.001 --> 00:30:44.000 it, they go, okay. Okay, we were able to jump to memory somewhere we shouldn't 00:30:44.000 --> 00:30:48.000 have. That's good because that's what's happening. Now if we could just put 00:30:48.000 --> 00:30:51.001 something evil at that spot. Now we're talking. 00:30:52.001 --> 00:30:58.000 So if you you won't see it because it'll crash. This is the really sad thing is 00:30:58.000 --> 00:31:02.000 it'll crash it without you even opening the messages program or looking at it. It 00:31:02.000 --> 00:31:08.001 also works in other messengers like Telegram, Facebook Messenger and it works on 00:31:08.001 --> 00:31:14.001 the iPhone, the iPad, the Macintosh and the Apple Watch. It's everywhere. It's a 00:31:14.001 --> 00:31:21.001 it's a string of characters, Cindy characters and the Italian flag emoji, 00:31:22.000 --> 00:31:25.001 the Cindy language, you don't have to understand the city language to be able to 00:31:25.001 --> 00:31:30.001 use it. You just need to paste it in. It's being spread around. Cindy is one of 00:31:30.001 --> 00:31:32.001 the many languages in India. 00:31:34.000 --> 00:31:40.001 And the issue is apparently fixed in the next version of iOS 13.4.5, which is in 00:31:40.001 --> 00:31:47.001 testing right now, not available to others. So expect maybe even today and it 00:31:47.001 --> 00:31:51.001 would be worth it if you it's just a little information. You know, my wife said, 00:31:51.001 --> 00:31:54.001 oh, you should take it in. I said, oh, I guess there's something wrong with my 00:31:54.001 --> 00:31:59.000 phone. But then I found out. No, it's something not wrong with my 00:31:59.000 --> 00:32:00.001 phone. It's doing what it's supposed to do. 00:32:00.001 --> 00:32:07.000 This is one of a number of bugs all of a sudden what they call zero day flaws 00:32:07.000 --> 00:32:13.000 because they're already in the wild before anybody even knew about them. It's as 00:32:13.000 --> 00:32:18.001 Vice says, the rarest fish in the cybersecurity ocean, which is really stretching 00:32:18.001 --> 00:32:21.001 a metaphor a little too far, I think. 00:32:23.001 --> 00:32:28.001 It takes advantage of vulnerabilities. Yes, of course. In Apple's normally secure 00:32:28.001 --> 00:32:34.000 operating system discovered by a company in San Francisco called Zekops. They all 00:32:34.000 --> 00:32:38.000 have funny names. So now it's on Wednesday that one of its that a few of its 00:32:38.000 --> 00:32:43.001 customers were targeted with two different zero day exploits for iOS last year. 00:32:43.001 --> 00:32:49.001 Apple will also patch these, we presume zero days are bad because it means 00:32:49.001 --> 00:32:55.000 there's no fix and it's already being used. Typically, they're discovered and 00:32:55.000 --> 00:33:01.000 used by nation states spy organizations and they're usually targeted 00:33:01.000 --> 00:33:07.000 against diplomats, spies, political figures, that kind of thing. 00:33:08.000 --> 00:33:12.001 VIPs. Sometimes it's industrial espionage. They target executives of big 00:33:12.001 --> 00:33:18.001 companies. In fact, that's what Zekops does. They secure 00:33:18.001 --> 00:33:25.001 executives get it. Zekops, they secure executives from big companies. And I 00:33:25.001 --> 00:33:28.001 guess two of their two of their guys got hacked. 00:33:28.001 --> 00:33:33.001 It's a remote zero click if you really want to get specific. That means you don't 00:33:33.001 --> 00:33:40.000 have to do anything. They could just, I bet it's related to this message hack 00:33:40.000 --> 00:33:43.001 where you don't even have to open messages. Your phone will just crash if 00:33:43.001 --> 00:33:46.001 somebody sends you the text. I bet you really, I'll bet they're related. 00:33:47.001 --> 00:33:53.000 So as always look for patches. You know, there's vulnerabilities in all operating 00:33:53.000 --> 00:33:58.001 systems, some more than others. Apple makes a lot of money because people like me 00:33:58.001 --> 00:34:03.000 say it's safer. It's more secure and it's true. There are fewer of these. But 00:34:03.000 --> 00:34:05.001 it's probably important to understand nothing is perfect. 00:34:05.001 --> 00:34:11.001 And anything that is attacked with sufficient resources and vigor, the kinds of 00:34:11.001 --> 00:34:17.001 resources and vigor that a nation state might have, you know, the CIA or the NSA 00:34:17.001 --> 00:34:23.000 or the Saudis or the Israelis or well, there are many, many nation states that 00:34:23.000 --> 00:34:24.001 are, have their own hackers. 00:34:24.001 --> 00:34:28.000 And then they pay you lots of money, millions of dollars sometimes for these 00:34:28.000 --> 00:34:32.000 little zero days. And then they keep them. You know, what is, what is normally 00:34:32.000 --> 00:34:36.001 done by the security community is what we call responsible disclosure. Security 00:34:36.001 --> 00:34:39.001 guy finds a flaw and goes, oh, yikes. 00:34:40.000 --> 00:34:45.000 And then contacts the company and says, you got 90 days to fix this. The clock is 00:34:45.000 --> 00:34:49.000 ticking. 90 days is the typical amount, three months, usually considered enough 00:34:49.000 --> 00:34:52.001 for a company to figure out what the problem is and send out a patch. 00:34:52.001 --> 00:34:57.000 The reason they don't just say, hey, fix it and walk away is because if they 00:34:57.000 --> 00:35:00.000 found it, somebody else could find it. And you don't want companies to take too 00:35:00.000 --> 00:35:04.000 long to fix flaws like this. You want them to get right on it. 00:35:04.000 --> 00:35:08.000 So you give them a deadline because, you know, we're human. We work better with a 00:35:08.000 --> 00:35:13.001 deadline. So the clock is ticking for a zero day because there's it's revealed. 00:35:14.000 --> 00:35:18.000 It's too late. It's out there. You don't have 90 days. 00:35:18.000 --> 00:35:22.000 You got no time at all. And Apple's pretty good about this. And I imagine there's 00:35:22.000 --> 00:35:27.000 some number of engineers working as fast as they can to figure out what it is and 00:35:27.000 --> 00:35:30.000 how they can fix it. And there's a good reason to because the bad 00:35:30.000 --> 00:35:31.001 guys are out in force right now. 00:35:31.001 --> 00:35:38.001 They are loving this quarantine thing. Ransomware attacks, in fact, now are 00:35:38.001 --> 00:35:44.000 bigger than credit card theft. One in five malware or hacking incidents, 00:35:44.000 --> 00:35:50.001 according to research by cybersecurity company Trustwave, one in five involves a 00:35:50.001 --> 00:35:53.001 ransomware attack. And that was in 2019. I think it's on the upswing. 00:35:54.000 --> 00:35:59.001 That's a 400 percent increase over 2018 means that ransomware attacks are more 00:35:59.001 --> 00:36:04.001 common than credit card and financial data breaches for the first time ever. But 00:36:04.001 --> 00:36:09.000 I guess that's not really a surprise to anybody, is it? Nope. Anyway, I'm glad 00:36:09.000 --> 00:36:12.000 you were here and I'm here and I'll be here next week. And I hope you'll come by 00:36:12.000 --> 00:36:14.000 and bring your friends to as we talk. 00:36:14.001 --> 00:36:20.001 Lea LaPorte, the tech guy. Are you ready for another trip into amateur radio 00:36:20.001 --> 00:36:26.001 history? I'm Bill Cantinelli, W2XOY. And I'll be back in a moment with another 00:36:26.001 --> 00:36:33.001 edition of the Ancient Amateur Archives here on This Week in Amateur Radio. 00:37:15.000 --> 00:37:21.001 The reason? Citizens ban radio applications. The CB craze had started in 00:37:21.001 --> 00:37:28.000 1974 with the first gas crisis. Fueled by top 10 songs, TV shows 00:37:28.000 --> 00:37:34.000 and movies, CB radio became an incredibly popular fad among the public in the 00:37:34.000 --> 00:37:38.001 days before computers, the internet, cable TV or cellular phones. 00:37:38.001 --> 00:37:45.000 Prior to the gas crisis, the licensed CB population had stabilized at about 800 00:37:45.000 --> 00:37:52.000 ,000. Now, over 500,000 applications per month poured into the FCC 00:37:52.000 --> 00:37:58.000 Gettysburg office. The peak was reached in January when 1 million applications 00:37:58.000 --> 00:38:04.001 came in. By the end of 1977, over 10 million CB licenses had been issued. 00:38:04.001 --> 00:38:11.000 The explosive growth in 11 meter activity, coupled with the unresolved Class E CB 00:38:11.000 --> 00:38:17.001 issue, caused increased friction between CBers and Hams. The A-R-L was still 00:38:17.001 --> 00:38:24.001 fighting the proposed reallocation of 2 MHz in our 220 band to Class E. Instead, 00:38:25.000 --> 00:38:29.000 the league suggested a new CB band at 900 MHz. 00:38:29.000 --> 00:38:36.000 Then, on April 4, 1977, the Class E fight was thrust into the 00:38:36.000 --> 00:38:42.000 public spotlight. Jack Anderson, in his nationally syndicated column, charged 00:38:42.000 --> 00:38:49.000 that the FCC was staffed by Ham Henchman, who conspired with the 300 00:38:49.000 --> 00:38:55.000 ,000 amateurs to keep 9 million CBers from getting expanded frequencies. 00:38:55.000 --> 00:39:01.000 The A-R-L, along with dozens of Hams, sent rebuttals to the media. The friction 00:39:01.000 --> 00:39:08.000 gradually subsided when the FCC announced the 27 MHz CB band would be expanded 00:39:08.000 --> 00:39:14.000 from 23 to 40 channels. The Class E question was settled on October 13, 00:39:14.000 --> 00:39:21.000 1977, when the FCC dropped the idea. Our 220 band was safe, for now. 00:39:21.000 --> 00:39:27.000 Ironically, the United States lost $200 million on the CB boom. 00:39:28.000 --> 00:39:35.000 How? Well, late in 1976, a federal court overturned the FCC's license 00:39:35.000 --> 00:39:39.001 fee structure. Rather than appeal the decision and or overhaul their fee 00:39:39.001 --> 00:39:45.000 assessment procedure, the FCC suspended collection of all license fees effective 00:39:45.000 --> 00:39:47.000 January 1, 1977. 00:39:47.000 --> 00:39:54.000 A Class D CB license cost $20. You can do the math. Incidentally, amateurs 00:39:54.000 --> 00:39:59.000 benefited from the license fee suspension. A new or renewed license, except for 00:39:59.000 --> 00:40:03.000 the novice, used to cost $9. Now it was free. 00:40:03.000 --> 00:40:08.001 Amateur radio was growing in 1977. At the beginning of the year, there were 293 00:40:08.001 --> 00:40:15.001 ,655 Hams. By mid-year, the number was 313,000, and on 00:40:15.001 --> 00:40:22.001 December 1, it was 327,000. This was a healthy 11% growth in one year, 00:40:23.000 --> 00:40:26.001 and a 25% increase over the 1974 census. 00:40:26.001 --> 00:40:33.000 The biggest single reason was probably 2 meter FM. Hundreds of repeaters, with 00:40:33.000 --> 00:40:39.000 the distinctive WR prefix, covered the country coast to coast. The pages of QST 00:40:39.000 --> 00:40:44.000 were filled with ads for crystal control 2 meter FM rigs, such as the Midland 00:40:44.000 --> 00:40:50.001 13500 and 13505, the Wilson 1402 and 1405, the 00:40:50.001 --> 00:40:57.001 Regency HR2B and HR312, the Janaev GTX1 and GTX10, 00:40:58.000 --> 00:41:05.000 and the Heathkit HW202. With crystals for 12 channel operation, these units cost 00:41:05.000 --> 00:41:11.001 about $250. Counting inflation, that's about $700 today. For 00:41:11.001 --> 00:41:17.001 the 1977 operator who wanted the latest in synthesized technology, Kleg had the 00:41:17.001 --> 00:41:24.001 FMDX for $599, or $1500 today, and Heathkit introduced 00:41:24.001 --> 00:41:31.000 the HW2036, which covered the 146 through 148 megahertz FM 00:41:31.000 --> 00:41:37.001 segment of the 2 meter band. For those on a tight budget, VHF Engineering had a 1 00:41:37.001 --> 00:41:44.000 watt 2 meter transmitter kit for $29. 95, a 2 meter receiver kit for $69 00:41:44.000 --> 00:41:50.000 .95, and a 2 watt 4 channel 2 meter HT kit for 00:41:50.000 --> 00:41:52.000 $129.95. 00:41:53.000 --> 00:41:59.001 Technicians now had novice privileges but were still banned from 50.0 to 50.1, 00:42:00.000 --> 00:42:07.000 and 144 through 145 megahertz. However, the 2 meter repeater segment at 146 00:42:07.000 --> 00:42:12.001 through 148 megahertz was becoming crowded. In response to several petitions, on 00:42:12.001 --> 00:42:19.000 November 4th, 1977, the FCC opened a new repeater sub-band from 144 00:42:19.000 --> 00:42:22.000 .5 through 145.5 megahertz. 00:42:22.000 --> 00:42:27.000 In addition, they deleted the separate station license requirement for repeaters. 00:42:28.000 --> 00:42:32.001 Any amateur, except for novice, could now put up a repeater without prior FCC 00:42:32.001 --> 00:42:37.001 approval. Logging requirements for repeaters were simplified. Finally, 00:42:38.000 --> 00:42:43.001 technicians were given full access to the new repeater sub-band, although the 144 00:42:43.001 --> 00:42:49.000 .0 through 144.5 segment was still out of bounds for technicians. 00:42:50.000 --> 00:42:56.000 In other FCC news for 1977, on March 1st, instant upgrading appeared. 00:42:57.000 --> 00:43:01.000 Licensed amateurs could immediately use new privileges upon passing the test for 00:43:01.000 --> 00:43:06.000 a higher class license rather than waiting 6 to 8 weeks for the overloaded 00:43:06.000 --> 00:43:08.000 FCC to send the new license. 00:43:08.000 --> 00:43:15.000 On July 1st, any extra class amateur could apply for a 1 by 2 call. Due to a 00:43:15.000 --> 00:43:21.000 500% increase in amateur exams as well as a massive workload, the FCC announced 00:43:21.000 --> 00:43:26.000 on August 18th that the CW sending test would be eliminated for 00:43:26.000 --> 00:43:27.001 all licenses above novice. 00:43:27.001 --> 00:43:33.000 However, the FCC had only one proposal that brought forth the wrath of the 00:43:33.000 --> 00:43:39.001 amateur community. Citing illegal CB operation on the 10.5 meter band, in other 00:43:39.001 --> 00:43:46.001 words those frequencies between 27. 405 and 28 megahertz, the FCC wanted 00:43:46.001 --> 00:43:53.000 to ban commercial amplifiers capable of operation between 24 and 35 megahertz and 00:43:53.000 --> 00:43:57.001 to require type acceptance on any amplifier that operated below 145 megahertz. 00:43:57.001 --> 00:44:04.001 Except for novice VXOs in the early 1970s, the FCC 00:44:04.001 --> 00:44:09.001 had never required type acceptance on any amateur transmitter. The amateur 00:44:09.001 --> 00:44:14.000 community strongly opposed this proposal. Hams were being punished for the crimes 00:44:14.000 --> 00:44:18.001 of others. The FCC promised an answer by 1978. 00:44:19.001 --> 00:44:25.000 In summary, 1977 was a good year for amateurs, but there were still some 00:44:25.000 --> 00:44:31.000 unfinished business. Would technicians get the full 2 meter band and, along with 00:44:31.000 --> 00:44:36.000 generals, regain the 50.0 through 50. 1 megahertz segment they lost under 00:44:36.000 --> 00:44:41.001 incentive licensing? Would CB radio continue its massive growth and make more 00:44:41.001 --> 00:44:43.001 demands on amateur frequencies? 00:44:44.000 --> 00:44:50.001 Finally, would the FCC ban 10 meter amplifiers? The answers lie in 00:44:50.001 --> 00:44:57.000 1978. This is Bill Continelli, W2XOY, for this 00:44:57.000 --> 00:44:58.001 week in Amateur Radio. 00:45:00.000 --> 00:45:05.000 Every year on April 18, it's World Amateur Radio Day, when radio amateurs 00:45:05.000 --> 00:45:09.001 worldwide take to the airwaves in celebration of amateur radio and to commemorate 00:45:09.001 --> 00:45:13.001 the formation of the International Amateur Radio Union in 1925. 00:45:14.001 --> 00:45:19.000 The President of Radio Amateurs of Canada, Phil McBride, Victor Alpha 3, Quebec 00:45:19.000 --> 00:45:24.001 Romeo, reports that once again, the RAC will be holding a Get on the Air on World 00:45:24.001 --> 00:45:29.000 Amateur Radio Day special event, in which they encourage as many amateurs as 00:45:29.000 --> 00:45:33.001 possible to get on the air and contact as many RAC stations as possible. 00:45:34.000 --> 00:45:40.001 RAC official stations will operate across Canada, from 0000 UTC to 00:45:40.001 --> 00:45:43.001 2359 UTC on April 18. 00:45:43.001 --> 00:45:50.000 The official station call signs all have Romeo Alpha Charlie as the suffix, and 00:45:50.000 --> 00:45:55.000 amongst the prefixes are Victor Alpha 2, Victor Alpha 3, Victor Echo 1, Victor 00:45:55.000 --> 00:46:00.001 Echo 4, Victor Echo 5, Victor Echo 6, Victor Echo 7, Victor Echo 8, Victor Echo 00:46:00.001 --> 00:46:07.000 9, Victor Oscar 1, Victor Oscar 2, Victor Yankee 0, Victor Yankee 1 and Victor 00:46:07.000 --> 00:46:09.000 Yankee 2, Romeo Alpha Charlie. 00:46:09.000 --> 00:46:13.001 Those contacting one or more of these stations will be eligible for a special 00:46:13.001 --> 00:46:17.001 commemorative certificate, noting their participation in the RAC's event. 00:46:18.001 --> 00:46:22.001 Participants simply need to complete one or more contacts on any band and mode 00:46:22.001 --> 00:46:27.001 with RAC official stations to earn their certificates. No logs need to be 00:46:27.001 --> 00:46:32.001 submitted, simply check back on the RAC website when instructed and enter your 00:46:32.001 --> 00:46:34.001 call sign to download your certificate. 00:46:34.001 --> 00:46:40.000 For more information on World Amateur Radio Day and the RAC's Get on the Air on 00:46:40.000 --> 00:46:46.001 World Amateur Radio Day special event, please visit www.rac.ca. 00:47:10.000 --> 00:47:15.001 The International Amateur Radio Union Satellite Frequency Coordination Panel 00:47:15.001 --> 00:47:21.001 reports that an application has been submitted for an amateur radio payload to be 00:47:21.001 --> 00:47:24.000 hosted on the brand new Chinese space station. 00:47:24.000 --> 00:47:29.001 In case you didn't know, the new Chinese space station has been in orbit for the 00:47:29.001 --> 00:47:34.000 last year. It is still under construction and is currently 00:47:34.000 --> 00:47:35.001 occupied by three astronauts. 00:47:37.000 --> 00:47:42.000 China's Tiangong space station, which is being constructed in low Earth orbit 00:47:42.000 --> 00:47:47.000 following the launch of its first module last May, is expected to have expanded 00:47:47.000 --> 00:47:51.000 room for astronauts, experiments and now amateur radio. 00:47:51.000 --> 00:47:56.001 The International Amateur Radio Union's Satellite Frequency Coordination Panel 00:47:56.001 --> 00:48:01.001 reports that it received an application on March 8 for an amateur 00:48:01.001 --> 00:48:03.000 radio payload to be on board. 00:48:04.000 --> 00:48:09.000 The station is being proposed by the Chinese Radio Amateurs Club in cooperation 00:48:09.000 --> 00:48:14.001 with the Aerospace System Engineering Research Institute of Shanghai and the 00:48:14.001 --> 00:48:16.001 Harbin Institute of Technology. 00:48:17.000 --> 00:48:23.000 Previous news reports have noted that the Chinese manned space agency plans to 00:48:23.000 --> 00:48:28.000 have three astronauts on board continuously for a minimum of 10 years. 00:48:29.000 --> 00:48:34.000 One module will house the astronauts. The space station expects to use the 00:48:34.000 --> 00:48:38.001 remaining two of its three modules to host scientific experiments of researchers 00:48:38.001 --> 00:48:40.001 from all nations of the UN. 00:48:41.001 --> 00:48:47.001 The amateur radio station is applying to use portions of the VHF and UHF amateur 00:48:47.001 --> 00:48:54.001 radio band and will consist of communications by voice, repeater, AFSK 00:48:54.001 --> 00:48:59.001 digipeater, slow scan television and other digital imaging modes. 00:49:00.000 --> 00:49:05.001 Not unlike the radios on board the International Space Station, the ham radios on 00:49:05.001 --> 00:49:11.000 the Chinese space station are intended for a variety of uses, including contacts 00:49:11.000 --> 00:49:16.001 with students to inspire careers in science, technology, engineering and math. 00:49:16.001 --> 00:49:20.001 According to the application, the payload would launch 00:49:20.001 --> 00:49:22.000 in the third quarter of this year. 00:49:46.001 --> 00:49:51.000 [...] VHF ocean scatter experiment. Actual transmitting days and times are highly 00:49:51.000 --> 00:49:56.000 variable based on real-time ionospheric conditions and the poker flat 00:49:56.000 --> 00:49:57.001 research range launch window. 00:49:58.000 --> 00:50:02.001 The following schedule is subject to change and all transmissions will take place 00:50:02.001 --> 00:50:04.001 on the 6.8 MHz band. 00:50:05.001 --> 00:50:11.000 Australia's national broadband network, the NBN, has produced a document that 00:50:11.000 --> 00:50:16.001 suggests that radio amateurs cause interference to VDSL2, whereas of course in 00:50:16.001 --> 00:50:22.000 reality it is VDSL2 and the RF pollution it can produce that is the problem. 00:50:22.000 --> 00:50:26.001 The introduction to their document says that it is intended for technically 00:50:26.001 --> 00:50:31.000 minded users or those providing technical support to customers connected to the 00:50:31.000 --> 00:50:36.000 Australia's national broadband network, who are experiencing signal interference 00:50:36.000 --> 00:50:39.000 between their service and amateur radio transmissions. 00:50:39.001 --> 00:50:43.001 It is assumed that the people referencing the document will have a reasonable 00:50:43.001 --> 00:50:48.000 understanding of electronics, wireless transmission and broadband transmission 00:50:48.000 --> 00:50:54.000 technology, including digital subscriber line, that's DSL, and very high speed 00:50:54.000 --> 00:50:56.000 DSL, that's VDSL. 00:50:56.001 --> 00:51:00.001 With that in mind, the document would be suitable for licensed cablers, 00:51:01.000 --> 00:51:05.001 telecommunications, network technicians, operational support staff, network 00:51:05.001 --> 00:51:08.000 engineers and amateur radio operators. 00:51:09.000 --> 00:51:13.001 The document, called Mitigating Amateur Radio Interference to VDSL2, can be 00:51:13.001 --> 00:51:19.000 downloaded from www.nbnco.com.au. 00:51:20.000 --> 00:51:22.000 For radio amateurs, this is likely to be an 00:51:22.000 --> 00:51:24.001 annoying, if not inflammatory, document. 00:51:25.000 --> 00:51:29.001 It suggests that radio hams are causing problems to VDSL when in general 00:51:29.001 --> 00:51:31.000 it is exactly the other way round. 00:51:31.000 --> 00:51:37.000 Wideband HF interference from VDSL is driving many radio hams off the air. 00:51:38.000 --> 00:51:41.000 And while radio amateurs have licenses allowing them to radiate radio 00:51:41.000 --> 00:51:46.000 frequencies, VDSL should be contained within the cables that deliver it. 00:51:46.001 --> 00:51:50.000 Perhaps the amateur radio societies in Australia will make a robust response. 00:51:50.000 --> 00:51:56.001 On March 2, 2022, Michael Kuhn, DB6NT and his son, Matthias, 00:51:57.000 --> 00:52:03.001 DK5NJ, established a new world distance record at 134 GHz by making 00:52:03.001 --> 00:52:09.001 contact using CW over 157 km or 98 miles between the summits 00:52:09.001 --> 00:52:11.000 of two mountains in Germany. 00:52:11.001 --> 00:52:16.000 The portable microwave stations were located on Schnikop Mountain in the Thrinien 00:52:16.000 --> 00:52:19.001 Forest and atop Feidelberg Mountain near Abbewissenthal. 00:52:19.001 --> 00:52:22.001 You can check out the video of the record breaking contact on YouTube. 00:52:23.000 --> 00:52:28.001 The latest edition of the Eclectic Tech Podcast features a conversation with 00:52:28.001 --> 00:52:34.001 Steve Allen, KC1SA, about circuit simulation software. He explains. 00:52:35.000 --> 00:52:40.000 When you simulate something on a computer, you're going to save soldering times 00:52:40.000 --> 00:52:42.000 if you want to call it that, or breadboarding or 00:52:42.000 --> 00:52:44.000 brassboarding, however you want to call it. 00:52:44.000 --> 00:52:48.001 A circuit up and swapping out components to see what works and what doesn't. You 00:52:48.001 --> 00:52:52.001 can do it on your computer much faster and you'll get pretty good results. 00:52:53.000 --> 00:52:57.000 The Eclectic Tech Podcast is available on the Blubbery site. 00:52:57.001 --> 00:53:02.001 An amateur radio club on the border of New South Wales and Victoria and Australia 00:53:02.001 --> 00:53:07.000 has come to the rescue of a dozen Russo clubs that, like their own, works to 00:53:07.000 --> 00:53:10.000 assist communities ravaged by such disasters as 00:53:10.000 --> 00:53:12.000 bushfires, earthquakes and floods. 00:53:12.000 --> 00:53:17.000 In this case, however, the Northeast Victoria Amateur Radio Club has stepped in 00:53:17.000 --> 00:53:21.000 because the other clubs became victims themselves after recent floods destroyed 00:53:21.000 --> 00:53:24.001 their vital radio gear and in many cases washed away. 00:53:25.000 --> 00:53:27.001 The club has been providing assistance by collecting funds 00:53:27.001 --> 00:53:29.001 as well as new radio gear. 00:53:30.000 --> 00:53:37.000 Frank Scott, VK2BFC, Secretary of the Club, told ABC.net News that a fund has 00:53:37.000 --> 00:53:41.001 been created to replace as much of the other club's lost gear as possible. 00:53:41.001 --> 00:53:44.001 He said many of the clubs belonged to the Wireless Institute of 00:53:44.001 --> 00:53:46.001 Australia's Civil Emergency Network. 00:53:47.001 --> 00:53:50.001 According to Scott, most of the equipment that was lost was not 00:53:50.001 --> 00:53:52.001 covered by flood damage insurance. 00:53:53.000 --> 00:53:56.001 He went on to say that it was difficult to get that kind of insurance for such 00:53:56.001 --> 00:54:00.000 items as ham radio equipment and a communication tower. 00:54:01.000 --> 00:54:05.000 AMSAT has received a generous grant from Amateur Radio Digital Communications for 00:54:05.000 --> 00:54:08.001 the development of a 3U spaceframe with deployable solar panels. 00:54:08.001 --> 00:54:13.001 This standardized 3U CubeSat spaceframe will serve as the mechanical platform for 00:54:13.001 --> 00:54:18.001 AMSAT's greater orbit, larger footprint or golf series of satellites, as well as 00:54:18.001 --> 00:54:22.000 for a new generation of low-Earth orbit LEO-FM satellites. 00:54:22.001 --> 00:54:26.001 Central to the development of the 3U spaceframe, AMSAT will build three flight 00:54:26.001 --> 00:54:30.000 -ready spaceframes for an upcoming series of satellites with potentially enhanced 00:54:30.000 --> 00:54:33.000 flight control, payload and communication capabilities. 00:54:33.000 --> 00:54:37.000 The need for a 3U spaceframe with deployable solar panels goes back to the 00:54:37.000 --> 00:54:40.001 original design requirements for the golf satellites that would return 00:54:40.001 --> 00:54:42.001 AMSAT to highly elliptical orbits. 00:54:43.000 --> 00:54:46.001 The benefit of this program will provide satellites with wider coverage and 00:54:46.001 --> 00:54:50.001 longer access times to the entire Amateur Radio satellite community worldwide. 00:54:51.001 --> 00:54:56.000 An exercise in emergency preparedness brought hams in one region of India to a 00:54:56.000 --> 00:55:00.000 remote island on the river Ganga near Patna, the capital city of Bihar. 00:55:00.000 --> 00:55:05.001 It was a two-day field exercise on March 12 and 13 for members of the Society of 00:55:05.001 --> 00:55:09.001 Radio Amateurs relying only on battery power for more than 30 hours. 00:55:10.000 --> 00:55:15.001 They were joined by operators from the Indian Wave of Amateur Radio, VU2IWA, 00:55:15.001 --> 00:55:20.000 based in Calcutta who, like the hams of Bihar, know that preparedness is 00:55:20.000 --> 00:55:23.001 essential in a region like theirs, which is prone to earthquakes and floods. 00:55:23.001 --> 00:55:28.001 Radio conditions that weekend were conducive to good contacts. According to a 00:55:28.001 --> 00:55:33.001 report on the global Bihar news site, hundreds of QISOs were made between that 00:55:33.001 --> 00:55:36.001 remote island and radio operators as far away as Europe. 00:55:36.001 --> 00:55:39.001 The hams were pleased with the results since many of them provide essential 00:55:39.001 --> 00:55:42.000 communication during the region's natural disasters. 00:55:42.000 --> 00:55:47.001 You are listening to This Week in Amateur Radio, available as a podcast at our 00:55:47.001 --> 00:55:54.000 website, www.twir. net, and streamed worldwide via 00:55:54.000 --> 00:55:56.000 Spotify and iHeartMedia. 00:56:16.001 --> 00:56:21.001 And now, with this week's Propagation Forecast report, we go back to Rick 00:56:21.001 --> 00:56:26.000 Lindquist, WW1ME, who reports from League Headquarters. 00:56:26.001 --> 00:56:33.000 Tad Cook, K7RA, in Seattle, Washington reports solar and geomagnetic activity 00:56:33.000 --> 00:56:38.000 were much quieter over the reporting week of March 17 to the 23rd. 00:56:39.000 --> 00:56:45.001 Average daily sunspot numbers declined by more than half from 74.6 to 33.4, 00:56:46.000 --> 00:56:52.001 and average daily solar flux from 119 to 99.9. 00:56:52.001 --> 00:56:59.001 Predicted solar flux is 105 on March 24 to the 25th, 110 on March 26 00:56:59.001 --> 00:57:04.001 to the 30th, 115 on March 31, and 120 on April 1. 00:57:05.000 --> 00:57:11.001 Sunspot numbers for March 17 through the 23rd were 53, 27, 29, 39, 30, 00:57:12.000 --> 00:57:15.001 29, and 27, with a mean of 33.4. 00:57:15.001 --> 00:57:20.000 Looking a little further into the Propagation Forecast, solar activity went 00:57:20.000 --> 00:57:23.001 through a quasi-periodic 27-day low around March 20. 00:57:24.000 --> 00:57:26.000 Then it started to rise slightly. 00:57:27.000 --> 00:57:31.000 Sunspots are now observed only in the eastern half of the solar disk. 00:57:31.001 --> 00:57:37.001 In addition, the Solar Observation Mission Stereo A observes further activity 00:57:37.001 --> 00:57:39.001 beyond the eastern limb of the solar disk. 00:57:40.000 --> 00:57:44.000 Therefore, the solar activity will increase until the end of the month. 00:57:44.000 --> 00:57:48.000 Shortwave propagation conditions were above average until March 21. 00:57:49.000 --> 00:57:53.000 Then the subsequent decrease in solar activity, together with a slight increase 00:57:53.000 --> 00:57:56.000 in geomagnetic activity, caused their slight deterioration. 00:57:57.000 --> 00:58:00.000 We will see improvements in the coming days, however. 00:58:00.000 --> 00:58:04.001 This development will end in a recurrent disturbance around April 1. 00:58:05.000 --> 00:58:09.000 The expected storm could, at best, begin with a positive phase of development 00:58:09.000 --> 00:58:12.000 with further improvement and growth of the MUF. 00:58:13.000 --> 00:58:15.000 Time now for the AMSAT report. 00:58:15.001 --> 00:58:21.000 Almost every day, some satellite enthusiast is out there roving and providing 00:58:21.000 --> 00:58:25.000 some of those much needed grid squares, as does ARRL. 00:58:25.001 --> 00:58:31.000 AMSAT has an award for working all 488 continental U.S. grids, 00:58:31.001 --> 00:58:33.000 but via satellite only. 00:58:33.001 --> 00:58:38.000 It's not as easy as it sounds. There are a few tough ones out there, like EL-84 00:58:38.000 --> 00:58:40.000 or CM-79. 00:58:40.000 --> 00:58:44.001 When hunting for grids, you can't just take a radio and antenna out 00:58:44.001 --> 00:58:46.000 there and try to work them that way. 00:58:46.001 --> 00:58:50.001 You have to plan for the satellites you want to use, then hope that both a rover 00:58:50.001 --> 00:58:55.000 and the station needing the rover's grid are in the satellite's footprint. 00:58:55.001 --> 00:58:58.000 The hunt is daunting, the reward satisfying. 00:58:58.000 --> 00:59:03.001 Another AMSAT award that's a bit difficult is the Reverse VUCC award. 00:59:04.000 --> 00:59:09.001 The Reverse VUCC award is for working from 100 different grids 00:59:09.001 --> 00:59:11.000 other than your home grid. 00:59:12.000 --> 00:59:15.000 Details on these awards, their requirements, and much more fascinating 00:59:15.000 --> 00:59:20.000 information is at www.amsat.org. 00:59:21.000 --> 00:59:25.001 The AMSAT report comes to us courtesy of Bruce Page, KK5DO. 00:59:29.001 --> 00:59:33.000 The art of AMSAT radio is many things to many people. 00:59:33.001 --> 00:59:38.000 For me, it's a technological challenge, a learning, a way to broaden my 00:59:38.000 --> 00:59:41.001 experience, a way to be technically active, away from my consultancy. 00:59:42.001 --> 00:59:47.000 The place that AMSAT radio takes in your life might be the same, or it might be 00:59:47.000 --> 00:59:49.001 completely different, as varied as the people I've 00:59:49.001 --> 00:59:51.000 encountered since I became an amateur. 00:59:52.000 --> 00:59:55.000 People from all walks of life with different experiences 00:59:55.000 --> 00:59:57.000 and vastly different stories. 00:59:57.001 --> 01:00:01.001 Truth be told, in the decade that I've been an amateur, I've spoken to and met 01:00:01.001 --> 01:00:05.000 people from more diverse backgrounds than in the 40 years before that. 01:00:06.000 --> 01:00:10.000 I make that statement as a person who migrated across the globe twice, travelled 01:00:10.000 --> 01:00:14.000 through a dozen or so countries, stood on stage in front of thousands of people, 01:00:14.000 --> 01:00:17.000 taught countless classes, and as a radio broadcaster, 01:00:17.000 --> 01:00:19.000 interviewed people from all over the planet. 01:00:20.000 --> 01:00:24.001 From paraplegic to quadriplegics, from people with terminal diseases to people 01:00:24.001 --> 01:00:28.001 struggling with their identity, from astronomers to astrologers, from train 01:00:28.001 --> 01:00:32.000 drivers to truck drivers, from mariners to motorcyclists, from working to 01:00:32.000 --> 01:00:37.000 retired, from healthy to hospitalised, from local to remote, from energetic to 01:00:37.000 --> 01:00:40.000 sedentary, from happy to sad, from connected to 01:00:40.000 --> 01:00:42.000 isolated, and everything in between. 01:00:43.000 --> 01:00:46.001 As a host of a weekly net for new and returning amateurs, I've begun to notice 01:00:46.001 --> 01:00:48.000 that some people are falling away. 01:00:48.000 --> 01:00:52.001 Either sitting on the side because they feel they have nothing to contribute, or 01:00:52.001 --> 01:00:54.000 stopping communication altogether. 01:00:55.001 --> 01:00:58.001 It occurred to me that for some people amateur radio is the only way 01:00:58.001 --> 01:01:00.001 that they connect to the world around them. 01:01:01.000 --> 01:01:05.000 It's the only way for them to meet people who are different, who walk a different 01:01:05.000 --> 01:01:07.000 path, who tell a different story. 01:01:07.001 --> 01:01:11.000 It's also sometimes the only thing that makes them get out of bed. 01:01:11.001 --> 01:01:16.001 In a world where we're all busy dealing with the realities of daily life, trying 01:01:16.001 --> 01:01:21.000 hard to figure out what our place is in that experience, and trying hard not to 01:01:21.000 --> 01:01:25.000 lose your identity while you're attempting this, it's easy to overlook the 01:01:25.000 --> 01:01:28.001 amateur you didn't hear from for a week, or a month. 01:01:29.001 --> 01:01:33.000 I know that for several of my new friends, amateur radio kept them alive for 01:01:33.000 --> 01:01:37.000 longer and made them smile more often, and made their life a little easier. 01:01:37.000 --> 01:01:40.001 Even if several of them have become a silent key 01:01:40.001 --> 01:01:42.001 since I counted them as my friend. 01:01:43.001 --> 01:01:47.000 When one of the main activities of our hobby is communication, it seems 01:01:47.000 --> 01:01:50.000 appropriate to take a moment to consider what that looks like 01:01:50.000 --> 01:01:51.001 from the other person's perspective. 01:01:52.001 --> 01:01:57.001 What might it be like to be acknowledged, to be validated as a human, to see them 01:01:57.001 --> 01:02:03.001 and their life, to speak with them, even if only briefly, and to take a moment 01:02:03.001 --> 01:02:09.000 out of our own busy existence and answer that CQ, or respond to a question, 01:02:09.001 --> 01:02:11.000 or smile with a fellow amateur? 01:02:12.000 --> 01:02:15.000 There is another aspect to this, one which I've not 01:02:15.000 --> 01:02:17.000 actually seen in the amateur community. 01:02:17.001 --> 01:02:22.000 Perhaps I've been too busy to notice, but it appears that the venerable telephone 01:02:22.000 --> 01:02:26.001 circle, the idea that one person calls the next person on the list who then calls 01:02:26.001 --> 01:02:31.001 the next and so on, if the last person doesn't get a call within a set time, they 01:02:31.001 --> 01:02:35.001 call the list backwards and discover who is not answering their phone. 01:02:36.000 --> 01:02:40.000 It's an effective way for people to regularly talk to each other and it's an 01:02:40.000 --> 01:02:42.001 excellent way to make sure that everyone is okay. 01:02:43.001 --> 01:02:47.001 In our own community of amateurs, we can do the very same thing. 01:02:48.000 --> 01:02:51.000 Hosting a net is one way, having a daily commuter chat is another. 01:02:51.000 --> 01:02:55.001 But when you do this, take a moment to consider who didn't check 01:02:55.001 --> 01:02:57.001 in and see what they're up to. 01:02:58.000 --> 01:03:03.000 It's fascinating to me that we're a hobby that's primarily made of old men, yet 01:03:03.000 --> 01:03:07.000 we haven't actually embraced our own aging process as part of the experience. 01:03:08.000 --> 01:03:11.001 Sure, there is a need to encourage new people into the hobby, but 01:03:11.001 --> 01:03:13.000 that's not the entire story. 01:03:14.000 --> 01:03:18.000 We should be so lucky as to speak with our friends on a regular basis to check in 01:03:18.000 --> 01:03:22.001 with each other and to make sure that we're all getting our daily dose of RF. 01:03:23.001 --> 01:03:28.000 So ask yourself how the community around you is doing and how you might take a 01:03:28.000 --> 01:03:32.001 moment to check in with those not so near, but just as dear to you. 01:03:33.000 --> 01:03:36.001 I'm Ono, Victor Kilo 6, Foxtrot Lima, Alfa Bravo. 01:04:34.001 --> 01:04:40.000 This talk might be of interest to radio amateurs as the presentation reviews and 01:04:40.000 --> 01:04:43.000 explores the safety requirements and standards applicable for radio [...] 01:04:43.000 --> 01:04:47.001 For example, to rooftop base stations and antenna structures. Examples of hazard 01:04:47.001 --> 01:04:52.001 identification and risk controls for occupational and public exposure to 01:04:52.001 --> 01:04:57.000 electromagnetic fields and radio frequency safety will also be discussed. 01:04:57.001 --> 01:05:01.000 The presentation will take place on the Zoom platform and is scheduled for 01:05:01.000 --> 01:05:06.000 Thursday the 24th of March 2022 at 7pm and it will be possible 01:05:06.000 --> 01:05:07.001 to view it retrospectively. 01:05:07.001 --> 01:05:12.000 To book a free place for the live event, please visit the website www 01:05:12.000 --> 01:05:17.001 .engineersireland. ie and navigate to event number 01:05:17.001 --> 01:05:19.000 7969. 01:05:49.001 --> 01:05:54.001 And now with his segment on how to successfully compose a public service 01:05:54.001 --> 01:05:58.001 announcement to promote your radio club meeting or ham fest on local broadcast 01:05:58.001 --> 01:06:04.000 radio. Here is Arizona's own Greg Stoddard, KF 9 MP. 01:06:04.001 --> 01:06:10.000 In the last three segments on the subject of promoting your ham radio clubs 01:06:10.000 --> 01:06:14.000 event, we covered making a successful public service announcement. 01:06:14.001 --> 01:06:19.001 In this segment, we'll look into where to send your PSA once it's ready to mail. 01:06:20.000 --> 01:06:25.001 I'm always collecting addresses for local media outlets. No matter how long I've 01:06:25.001 --> 01:06:29.000 looked, I'm always finding new places to get free advertising for 01:06:29.000 --> 01:06:31.000 our local ham radio clubs. 01:06:31.000 --> 01:06:37.001 In the library or at most radio stations business offices, you can find a thick 01:06:37.001 --> 01:06:41.001 paperback book called the M Street Directory. 01:06:42.000 --> 01:06:45.001 This is a good reference for names, fax numbers and addresses of radio 01:06:45.001 --> 01:06:47.001 stations in North America. 01:06:48.000 --> 01:06:53.001 Most states have a broadcaster association and books of addresses and 01:06:53.001 --> 01:06:55.000 other contact information. 01:06:55.000 --> 01:07:00.001 Engineering firms who provide technical services to the broadcast industry also 01:07:00.001 --> 01:07:05.000 keep these books and would no doubt let you copy the pages to begin your 01:07:05.000 --> 01:07:07.000 collection of local media outlets. 01:07:07.001 --> 01:07:12.000 For your club's fundraising promotion, I would suggest posting notes in grocery 01:07:12.000 --> 01:07:17.000 stores, laundromats, schools, libraries, the nearest National Weather Service 01:07:17.000 --> 01:07:19.001 office and neighborhood bulletin boards. 01:07:19.001 --> 01:07:25.001 Mail copies of your PSA to all local radio stations, TV stations, cable TV 01:07:25.001 --> 01:07:31.001 offices, newspapers, technical vocational schools, on campus radio and TV 01:07:31.001 --> 01:07:34.001 stations and even the local Radio Shack store. 01:07:35.000 --> 01:07:39.001 As an extra incentive, when you mail your PSA to your local radio and TV 01:07:39.001 --> 01:07:44.001 stations, include several complimentary admission tickets for the station to use 01:07:44.001 --> 01:07:47.001 as they see fit with no strings attached. 01:07:47.001 --> 01:07:53.000 This both allows them to give them away to listeners or offer them to station 01:07:53.000 --> 01:07:57.001 staff who may also someday become hams and join your ham radio club. 01:07:58.000 --> 01:08:02.000 If your local radio station is truly active in the community, you can invite them 01:08:02.000 --> 01:08:04.001 to broadcast live from your event if they want to. 01:08:05.000 --> 01:08:08.001 They can do this with minimal cost and equipment, sometimes requiring nothing 01:08:08.001 --> 01:08:11.001 more than a cell phone and a station logo on a banner. 01:08:11.001 --> 01:08:15.001 So always be looking for new ways to promote your club's fundraiser. 01:08:16.000 --> 01:08:21.000 In my opinion, in today's computer automated world, the more you automate, the 01:08:21.000 --> 01:08:25.000 more you mail, the more you collect addresses, the easier and faster you can 01:08:25.000 --> 01:08:27.000 promote next year's event. 01:08:27.000 --> 01:08:31.001 Over a period of years, with good record keeping, you can turn promotion to a 01:08:31.001 --> 01:08:36.000 matter of updating last year's PSA, which is still stored in your computer, with 01:08:36.000 --> 01:08:41.000 the correct date, printing new flyers and PSAs, new address labels, and within 30 01:08:41.000 --> 01:08:45.000 minutes, the entire effort can often be a few keystrokes and 01:08:45.000 --> 01:08:46.001 mouse clicks away from completion. 01:08:47.000 --> 01:08:52.000 This is Greg Stoddard reporting for This Week in Amateur Radio. 01:08:52.001 --> 01:08:56.001 As amateurs here in the United States approach the season for thunderstorms, 01:08:57.000 --> 01:09:01.000 tornadoes and hurricanes, the National Weather Service is holding severe weather 01:09:01.000 --> 01:09:03.001 preparedness weeks across the country. 01:09:03.001 --> 01:09:08.001 Tornado drills, announcements through the media, and personal preparation 01:09:08.001 --> 01:09:13.000 information are just a few ways the Weather Service is getting the word out at 01:09:13.000 --> 01:09:14.001 this time of year to be prepared. 01:09:16.000 --> 01:09:21.000 It's a good time for amateur radio operators involved in ARIES, RACES, CERT, 01:09:21.001 --> 01:09:25.001 SkyWarn, and other groups to ensure that we're also prepared. 01:09:25.001 --> 01:09:30.001 This includes making sure that all radios, accessories along with backup power 01:09:30.001 --> 01:09:36.000 sources are fully functional and that all contact information is up to date with 01:09:36.000 --> 01:09:39.000 the agencies and organizations served. 01:09:39.001 --> 01:09:43.001 Christopher Strong, Warning Coordination Meteorologist for the Baltimore and 01:09:43.001 --> 01:09:48.001 Washington D.C. Weather Forecast Office said that HAMS can play a big part in 01:09:48.001 --> 01:09:52.000 being weather aware by knowing what threats are possible. 01:09:52.000 --> 01:09:57.000 HAMS should have a plan if extreme weather occurs. Strong said that during an 01:09:57.000 --> 01:10:02.001 event operators are important as they actively gather impact data from their 01:10:02.001 --> 01:10:06.001 community and get the information back to the National Weather Service, which 01:10:06.001 --> 01:10:10.000 improves the accuracy of the notifications being issued. 01:10:10.000 --> 01:10:16.000 Over the years, the motto, when all else fails, amateur radio has proven true in 01:10:16.000 --> 01:10:21.000 many situations. This is not only due to amateur radio operators' readiness to 01:10:21.000 --> 01:10:23.001 serve, but our willingness to be prepared. 01:10:24.001 --> 01:10:30.000 For information, go to weather. gov and click on Spring Preparedness. 01:10:30.001 --> 01:10:35.001 Tony, Echo India 5, Echo Mike, has informed the Irish Radio Transmitter Society 01:10:35.001 --> 01:10:40.001 that contrary to information erroneously stated on a recent radio programme, ye 01:10:40.001 --> 01:10:46.000 olde, hurdy gurdy museum of vintage radio is not closing down and in fact will be 01:10:46.000 --> 01:10:51.000 reopening at weekends starting in April. It's located at the Martello 01:10:51.000 --> 01:10:52.001 Tower in House, Ireland. 01:10:52.001 --> 01:10:57.000 It was also erroneously stated that the contents of the museum were being 01:10:57.000 --> 01:11:02.000 auctioned off. While the private collection of the late Pat Herbert was auctioned 01:11:02.000 --> 01:11:06.000 recently, nothing from the display in the museum was affected, as this separate 01:11:06.000 --> 01:11:09.000 collection is Pat's legacy for generations to come. 01:11:09.000 --> 01:11:14.000 The Health Martello Radio Group will be taking part in International Marconi Day 01:11:14.000 --> 01:11:20.001 on 23rd April, using the call sign Echo India 0, Mike Alpha Romeo, and visitors 01:11:20.001 --> 01:11:23.000 are very welcome to come along and operate the club station. 01:11:24.000 --> 01:11:29.000 In preparation for International Marconi Day, Tony, Echo India 5, Echo Mike and 01:11:29.000 --> 01:11:35.000 Joe, Echo India 2, Juliet Zulu installed a new HF X80 antenna on the roof of 01:11:35.000 --> 01:11:36.001 the Martello Tower in Health. 01:11:36.001 --> 01:11:42.000 This was purchased with the help of a grant from the IRTS Promote Amateur Radio 01:11:42.000 --> 01:11:46.001 Fund. Antennas at this exposed location suffer from extreme weather conditions 01:11:46.001 --> 01:11:49.000 and need to be replaced every few years. 01:11:49.001 --> 01:11:53.000 The museum will never be the same again without Pat, but his fellow radio 01:11:53.000 --> 01:11:57.000 amateurs will keep it going in his honour and they know that his spirit will 01:11:57.000 --> 01:12:01.001 always be present within the Martello Tower, along with that of Lee De Forest, 01:12:02.000 --> 01:12:05.001 who demonstrated his wireless telegraphy system there in 1903. 01:12:07.000 --> 01:12:11.001 Space enthusiasts are celebrating the launch of Oregon's first satellite, which 01:12:11.001 --> 01:12:14.001 carried amateur radio into low Earth orbit in a spacecraft no 01:12:14.001 --> 01:12:16.001 larger than a box of tissues. 01:12:18.000 --> 01:12:22.001 Known as Oresat-0, it's an open source CubeSat, built by the Portland State 01:12:22.001 --> 01:12:26.000 Aerospace Society, an interdisciplinary group of students 01:12:26.000 --> 01:12:28.000 at Portland State University. 01:12:28.001 --> 01:12:33.001 With solar panels, batteries, a colour camera and of course an amateur radio on 01:12:33.001 --> 01:12:37.000 board, it was launched at March 15 from Kodiak, Alaska. 01:12:38.000 --> 01:12:44.001 The group's faculty advisor, Andrew Greenberg, K.D. 7CJT, said on the university 01:12:44.001 --> 01:12:49.000 website our small group of space hipsters gathered in the rocket room to watch 01:12:49.000 --> 01:12:53.000 the launch with fancy bagels and pour over water, and then collectively 01:12:53.000 --> 01:12:54.001 held our breath for more than an hour. 01:12:55.001 --> 01:12:58.001 After some nervous moments, they learned the flight had gone smoothly. 01:12:59.000 --> 01:13:02.001 Its mission, which is to test the CubeSat system itself, is 01:13:02.001 --> 01:13:04.001 expected to last several years. 01:13:05.000 --> 01:13:09.001 Fear not, this won't be the first or last for Oregon. The group is already hard 01:13:09.001 --> 01:13:11.001 at work on Oresat-0.5. 01:13:12.000 --> 01:13:16.000 It's scheduled for launch this summer. It will be a larger satellite for NASA's 01:13:16.000 --> 01:13:20.001 CubeSat launch initiative, and will carry equipment gathering data for global 01:13:20.001 --> 01:13:25.000 climate science, studying the distribution of high altitude cirrus clouds. 01:13:26.000 --> 01:13:31.000 The Institution of Engineering and Technology, the IET, has published an article 01:13:31.000 --> 01:13:38.000 about Eric Magor, original call sign, 6-mic uniform, a radio amateur in Belfast 01:13:38.000 --> 01:13:39.001 in the 1920s. 01:13:40.001 --> 01:13:43.001 Eric's radio achievements featured in the newspapers of the time. 01:13:44.000 --> 01:13:49.000 When aged only 15, he hit the headlines in the local press under the title of 01:13:49.000 --> 01:13:54.001 Belfast, Ireland, Boy Spans Ocean, dated December 12, 1923. 01:13:55.001 --> 01:14:02.000 In October 1924, the Belfast Telegraph carried the story, Belfast Boy Receives 12 01:14:02.000 --> 01:14:03.001 ,000 Miles Signal. 01:14:03.001 --> 01:14:09.000 And on August 15, 1925, the Irish Telegraph published a picture of Eric 01:14:09.000 --> 01:14:11.000 and his amateur radio station. 01:14:11.001 --> 01:14:17.000 And in 1926, under the title Belfast Talks to India, Amateurs Fine Performance, 01:14:17.001 --> 01:14:22.001 it reported that a Belfast radio amateur, Eric Magor, who has for some time been 01:14:22.001 --> 01:14:27.000 experimenting with low-power telephony on short waves, established telephony 01:14:27.000 --> 01:14:34.000 communication with Mr H Beck, call sign, Radio YHBK, at Kohat, India. 01:14:34.001 --> 01:14:39.000 Mr Beck, who was using Morse code signals, reported that the speech was quite 01:14:39.000 --> 01:14:41.001 okay, fairly strong, with no distortion. 01:14:42.001 --> 01:14:46.000 This is understood to be the first time words spoken in Ireland 01:14:46.000 --> 01:14:47.001 have been heard in India. 01:14:48.000 --> 01:14:53.000 And as Mr Magor was using an input of only 30 watts, about half the power used by 01:14:53.000 --> 01:14:57.001 an ordinary electric light, and a single 20 watt mullard transmitting valve, the 01:14:57.001 --> 01:15:01.001 transmission is probably a record for low-power and simple apparatus. 01:15:02.000 --> 01:15:07.000 In the 1930s, Eric worked at the General Electric Company Research Laboratories 01:15:07.000 --> 01:15:11.001 at Wembley, where he was involved in the development of high-power magnetrons. 01:15:12.000 --> 01:15:17.001 The full IET article can be read at IETarchivesblog.org. 01:15:17.001 --> 01:15:23.001 In the 1920s, the prefixes used by amateur stations in the British Isles were G 01:15:23.001 --> 01:15:29.001 .I. Gulf India for Northern Ireland, G. W. Gulf Whisky for the Irish Free State, 01:15:30.000 --> 01:15:35.001 Gulf Charlie for Scotland, and then Gulf was used for both England and Wales, and 01:15:35.001 --> 01:15:37.001 possibly the Crown Dependencies too. 01:15:38.000 --> 01:15:43.000 You're listening to This Week in Amateur Radio, available worldwide as a podcast 01:15:43.000 --> 01:15:49.000 from our web at www.twir.net. 01:16:09.000 --> 01:16:15.001 The Bavarian Contest Club has temporarily ceased its plaque sponsorship for the 01:16:15.001 --> 01:16:19.001 upcoming CQ Worldwide SSB and CW contests. 01:16:20.000 --> 01:16:24.000 This includes four plaques for the Rookie and Youth category overlays. 01:16:24.001 --> 01:16:29.001 The club said it will evaluate its sponsorship of other plaques for the CQWWDX 01:16:29.001 --> 01:16:33.001 and CQWWRTTYDX contests. 01:16:34.000 --> 01:16:39.000 The Ukraine Contest Club said it supports the decision to limit participation by 01:16:39.000 --> 01:16:44.000 Russian hams in the upcoming contests, and it will sponsor the four Rookie and 01:16:44.000 --> 01:16:48.000 Youth plaques despite members' heavy losses in the war. 01:16:48.001 --> 01:16:53.000 The European Conference of Postal and Telecommunications Administration's SEPCT 01:16:53.000 --> 01:16:58.000 has suspended the Russian Federation and Belarus from SEPCT membership. 01:16:58.001 --> 01:17:02.000 It was requested by SEPCT members. The suspension, which took effect 01:17:02.000 --> 01:17:03.001 March 18, is indefinite. 01:17:03.001 --> 01:17:09.000 In the SEPCT assembly, there were 34 supportive responses to the proposal 01:17:09.000 --> 01:17:10.001 and one abstention. 01:17:11.000 --> 01:17:15.001 Future readmission will require a two-thirds majority vote. 01:17:16.001 --> 01:17:21.000 Norway has plans to introduce a 10-watt entry-level certificate for young hams. 01:17:21.001 --> 01:17:27.001 It has the financial support of 1 million kronor, or nearly US$114,000, 01:17:28.001 --> 01:17:32.000 from the Norwegian Research Council, with the input 01:17:32.000 --> 01:17:34.000 of hams throughout the nation. 01:17:35.000 --> 01:17:39.001 The proposal, introduced last year, was discussed at Norway's ham meeting and 01:17:39.001 --> 01:17:41.001 annual amateur radio convention. 01:17:42.001 --> 01:17:47.001 Attendees included the communications regulator NKOM and the 01:17:47.001 --> 01:17:49.001 Norwegian Radio Relay League. 01:17:50.000 --> 01:17:55.001 The NRRL, the Research Institute of Forsvoret, and Torbjorn 01:17:55.001 --> 01:18:01.000 LA4ZCA, are working together on a plan to introduce the subject formally 01:18:01.000 --> 01:18:02.001 into school curricula. 01:18:03.001 --> 01:18:09.000 The proposed certificate would become available to 12 and 13-year-old enthusiasts 01:18:09.000 --> 01:18:12.000 operating at low power on limited bands. 01:18:13.000 --> 01:18:17.001 The entry-level license has the support of such groups as the Academic Radio 01:18:17.001 --> 01:18:23.000 Club, or ARK, which has already been making classes available. 01:18:23.001 --> 01:18:28.000 The ARK is Norway's oldest amateur radio club for students. 01:18:29.000 --> 01:18:33.000 And finally this week, the Amateur Radio Service Club of Paintsville, Kentucky, 01:18:33.000 --> 01:18:36.001 will be operating a special event station from the birthplace of American country 01:18:36.001 --> 01:18:40.001 music star Loretta Lynn in Butcher Hollow in Van Lier, Kentucky. 01:18:40.001 --> 01:18:43.001 The hams are commemorating her 90th birthday. 01:18:44.000 --> 01:18:48.000 During her musical career, Loretta Lynn received numerous awards including three 01:18:48.000 --> 01:18:52.001 Grammys, seven American Music Awards, eight Broadcast Music Incorporated Awards, 01:18:53.000 --> 01:18:57.001 thirteen Academy of Country Music, eight Country Music Association, and twenty 01:18:57.001 --> 01:19:00.000 -six fan-voted Music City News Awards. 01:19:00.001 --> 01:19:04.000 The club will be using the call sign K4L, which stands for 01:19:04.000 --> 01:19:06.000 Kentuckians for Loretta. 01:19:06.000 --> 01:19:11.001 The special event station will be operating from 0 through 2359 hours UTC on 01:19:11.001 --> 01:19:16.000 April 14, 2022 on all HF bands and on repeaters 01:19:16.000 --> 01:19:17.001 on the East Kentucky Repeater System. 01:19:18.000 --> 01:19:21.000 They will also be operating some of the digital modes as well as CW. 01:19:22.000 --> 01:19:27.000 For a specially designed QSL card confirming your contact, send your QSL and self 01:19:27.000 --> 01:19:32.001 -addressed stamped envelope to KY4ARC. Again, Kilo Yankee 01:19:32.001 --> 01:19:34.001 for Alpha Romeo Charlie. 01:19:34.001 --> 01:19:39.000 This Week in Amateur Radio is heard around the world on the internet, on low 01:19:39.000 --> 01:19:46.000 power FM stations, and on great repeater systems like the WB3GxW repeater on 147 01:19:46.000 --> 01:19:52.001 .225 MHz in Silver Springs, Maryland, serving all of Silver Springs and also 01:19:52.001 --> 01:19:55.000 covering the nation's capital, Washington, DC. 01:19:56.001 --> 01:20:01.000 WB3GxW can also be found on EchoLink Conference Server node 6154. 01:20:01.001 --> 01:20:06.001 If you are a This Week in Amateur Radio affiliate and you would like us to give a 01:20:06.001 --> 01:20:10.000 free on-air announcement of your station's carriage of the program, please send 01:20:10.000 --> 01:20:15.000 us an email with the station location, call sign, coverage area, and day and time 01:20:15.000 --> 01:20:18.000 you air This Week in Amateur Radio, plus any other 01:20:18.000 --> 01:20:19.001 information you would like us to impart. 01:20:19.001 --> 01:20:26.000 You can send to the following email, w2xbs77 at gmail 01:20:26.000 --> 01:20:32.001 .com. The other address once again is w2xbs77 at 01:20:32.001 --> 01:20:34.000 gmail.com. 01:20:35.000 --> 01:20:38.001 Many of the news and information items heard on this edition of This Week in 01:20:38.001 --> 01:20:43.001 Amateur Radio have been provided by the American Radio Relay League, the AWRL 01:20:43.001 --> 01:20:48.001 Audio News Service, and the AWRL Letter, the Southgate Amateur News Service, 01:20:48.001 --> 01:20:55.000 Steve Richards, G4 Hotel Papa Echo, and the Southgate Vibes News Service, AMSAT, 01:20:55.001 --> 01:21:00.001 the Radio Amateurs of Canada, the FCC, the Radio Society of Great Britain, and 01:21:00.001 --> 01:21:06.000 Ofcom, the South African Radio League, the International Amateur Radio Union, the 01:21:06.000 --> 01:21:10.000 Wireless Institute of Australia, and the Australian Communications and Media 01:21:10.000 --> 01:21:15.000 Authority, the New Zealand Association of Radio Transmitters, the Amateur Radio 01:21:15.000 --> 01:21:21.001 News Line, the Rain Hamcast, Eric Guth, Forzedd1UG, and QSO Today, qrz 01:21:21.001 --> 01:21:27.000 .com, the Tech Guy Leo Laport, the International Telecommunications Union, and 01:21:27.000 --> 01:21:29.000 various news sources on the internet. 01:21:29.001 --> 01:21:34.001 With special thanks to all our weekly news sources and to you, our listeners, 01:21:35.000 --> 01:21:38.000 that wraps up this edition of This Week in Amateur Radio. 01:21:38.001 --> 01:21:43.000 If you'd like to write to us, you can find everything you need, including archive 01:21:43.000 --> 01:21:48.000 editions of the news service, at our website, at twir.net. 01:21:48.000 --> 01:21:53.001 And now, for all of us at This Week in Amateur Radio headquarters, and our news 01:21:53.001 --> 01:21:58.001 team around the world, this is Chris Parrine, KB2FAF, 01:21:59.000 --> 01:22:00.001 wishing you a 73.